The Schuylkill County Industrial Development Authority may soon vote on a draft agreement for itself and three municipalities for the maintenance of a proposed traffic light in Deer Lake.
Frank Zukas, president of Schuylkill Economic Development Corp. and executive director of SCIDA, said the board could take action at a meeting at 5 p.m. Jan. 31.
A grant could be provided to offset some of the operational costs of the light for three years "once it is up and operational," Zukas said.
An exact figure was not provided.
Funds would go into an account specifically designated for operational costs of the light. The board solicitor could provide a copy of the agreement to each municipality. An application would then be sent to the state Department of Transportation for the light, he said.
Zukas said there is no exact timeline but the sooner, the better.
The $38.4 million project has been awarded to HRI Inc., State College, said Ron Young, a spokesman for PennDOT District 5, Allentown.
The light in Deer Lake is part of a Route 61 road project that started in September and is scheduled to be completed in September 2015. It winds through West Brunswick Township and Deer Lake Borough from the intersection with Brick Hill Road in the township to a section south of Route 895 in Deer Lake.
Included in the plans are more than four miles of Route 61 and roughly two miles of new southbound lanes not yet built. Jug handles, median dividers and three new traffic lights are also planned. Deer Lake has previously expressed concern about ownership of the light because the maintenance of traffic signals is the responsibility of municipal governments after PennDOT installs them.
Some lights are exempt because they were installed before the regulations were adopted.
Young said the department is aware of the effort for ownership of the light.
"The intent of this construction is to do it all and keep one lane open in each direction on Route 61 during the Deer Lake project," Young said by phone Tuesday.
Deer Lake Borough Council President David Crouse said the borough would welcome an agreement for the light.
"It would benefit everybody and it would be safer," he said in speaking about the light.
The borough solicitor would review the agreement prior to voting by the council, he said. The next council meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12.
Douglas Naftzinger, an Auburn Borough Council member, said the borough also welcomes an agreement.
"We are for having the intermunicipal agreement 100 percent," he said.
He cautioned that it must be reviewed by the council and its legal counsel. The next council meeting is 7 p.m. Feb. 6.
"It's a safety issue," he said about having the red light.
Jim Turner, chairman of the West Brunswick Township supervisors, said supervisors could act on the agreement at their Feb. 6 meeting if they get the information in time.
The intersection of routes 61 and 895 has been the scene of two fatal accidents recently.
In October 2012, Sharon Barney, 59, of Old Forge, Lackawanna County, died after the vehicle in which she was a passenger, driven by John Stambaugh, Reading, struck the rear of a vehicle as he was driving north on Route 61, according to Republican-Herald archives.
The most recent fatality was earlier this month when Scott L. Bennett, 33, of Frackville, died after his car was struck in the side by a car driven by David G. Schatz. Bennett's vehicle later hit a guide rail and was hit by a Mack truck.