The weekend traffic nightmare at Beltzville State Park was the reason local officials met Wednesday in Franklin Township.

Hours before the park opens at 8 a.m., traffic backs up on Pohopoco Road. And it’s not just cars clogging the road that are a problem.

Michelle Delello of Pine Cone Court lives across the street from the park’s entrance and gets an up-close view of the early-morning happenings.

“On my side, when they park, the party starts,” Delello said. “The minute they pull over, they have loud radios in the cars, and it’s every weekend. Once the traffic stops, they get out of their cars, they start getting coolers out, talking with each other.”

Delello was one of several residents and local officials who spoke about the problem during a workshop meeting at the Franklin Township Municipal Building. Also in attendance were representatives from Towamensing Township and the Franklin Township Fire Company, fire police and police department.

“I have videos of them actually have a DJ set up on the road,” said township resident Kevin Christman. “It’s not just a couple of people; it’s the entire train of cars.”

Christman said at times the lane heading east from the turnpike is blocked for a half mile because of cars parked on the road. He said it becomes a “game of chicken” if a driver tries to go around the line, being forced to head east in the westbound lane.

“Since they do not allow people coming in after the park is closed due to being at capacity, people are showing up 5 a.m. and blocking the road, trying to be first in line to get in,” Christman said. “This didn’t used to happen, but now it happens every weekend.”

Franklin Township Supervisor Fred Kemmerer is also concerned about the clogged traffic’s effect on emergency services.

“Our meeting here is about the issues that are happening on Pohopoco Road and how it affects our emergency management and maybe come up with some things that we can do to try to make it better,” Kemmerer said. “Once the people are inside the gates, they are the park’s problem. We’re worried about the traffic that is piled up, and the people getting out of their cars, and the music. What happens outside the gates is our concern.”

To Kemmerer’s point, Christman said he had a Lehighton ambulance behind him last weekend and both were stuck in the traffic.

Officials had two ideas they think could alleviate some of the traffic problems.

The first is opening the park earlier on weekends - it opens at 8 a.m. now.

The second is instead of cars parking on Pohopoco Road before opening, cars park on the road in the park leading to parking lot B. That road is approximately 2,400 feet from Pohopoco to the parking lot.

There are no parking signs posted on Pohopoco Road, but they are usually ignored in Franklin and Towamensing townships.

It’s a $300 fine and it’s not enough to make them care,” Towamensing Supervisor Guy Seifert said. “That’s not a big deal for them. They think that’s a great thing.”

After hearing concerns and discussing solutions, the group decided to arrange a meeting with local officials, state Rep. Doyle Heffley and representatives from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

“The ball is in our court right now,” Kemmerer said. “But, what we’re going to do is put it in their court to see where we go next with it. We’re not going to sit back and fall asleep. We’re going to be forceful and light a fire under their tail to at least hear us and see what we can do to keep that ball from rolling over us.”