SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - The Schuylkill Haven Borough Council approved two resolutions needed to proceed with the Route 61 widening project and voted to contribute up to $2,400 for a grant submission.
"This has been a long time coming," said council President Marlin Berger Jr. of the project and final documents needed to move forward.
Two extra lanes are proposed for Schuylkill Haven as part of the PennDOT Route 61 widening project.
Efforts to bring the project to this point have been ongoing for more than two years.
Borough Manager Scott Graver said PennDOT is looking to bid the project next year and possibly start work in April or May. Completion and handling of any traffic disruptions would be up to the department, he said.
Each resolution, one for reimbursement for water and sewer utilities and the other for electric utilities, was approved individually.
Costs are estimated for each reimbursement. PennDOT will pay for 50 percent of any water and sewer utilities and 100 percent for electric utilities that need to be moved for the project. Estimated costs for the water and sewer utilities are $511,607 for the department and $579,312 for the borough. Graver said why the electric is 100 percent reimbursable is "mainly because our electric utilities are in our right-of-way and we're being asked to move them," he said. "This project also comes in at close to $800,000 estimated costs."
In other news, the council voted to provide up to $2,400 in funds as part of a grant submission that would be used for identification signs for points of interest in the borough. A 10 percent cash contribution is required by the borough. Economic development director Carl Berger wrote the $24,000 grant that will be submitted by the borough.
Graver said funds were not allocated for such an expenditure but it was a good investment. "It's an opportunity we should not pass up," he said.
Following up on grants, Graver said he had been notified the borough was awarded a grant from the National Resources Conservation Council estimated at $36,000. Funds will be used to clean out the spillway at the Tumbling Run Reservoir. The council had to approve an operation and maintenance plan agreement as part of the grant, Graver said.