Public Works Committee Meeting - April 1, 2026: Bill 24 and Traffic Signal Upgrades
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Public Works Committee Meeting - April 1, 2026
The Public Works Committee met on April 1, 2026, at 11:00 AM UTC to consider Bill 24, an ordinance to amend the 2026 capital fund budget for a traffic signal upgrade project. The meeting was attended by Council members Ms. Mona, Mr. Pongo, and others. The committee unanimously voted to send the bill to full council with a favorable recommendation.
Discussion Items
- Bill 24 – 19th Street and Roth Avenue Intersection Upgrade: Mr. Shatter, representing the city, presented the ordinance to accept a Green Light Go grant of $1,087,390 from the state for upgrading the intersection at 19th Street and Roth Avenue. The project includes mast arms, poles, new traffic signals with retro-reflective back plates, pedestrian countdown signals, crosswalks, and handicap ramps. The intersection is one of two remaining with overhead wire-suspended traffic signals; the other is at 6th and Green Leaf. The committee asked about the 25% city match ($199,620) and an additional $89,290 from the general fund needed because the grant did not cover the full project cost ($1,087,390 + $199,620 + $89,290 = $1,376,300 total estimated). Mr. Shatter stated the grant agreement is valid until June 2028, allowing two years for design and construction. Mr. Pongo inquired about collaboration with Southway Hall Township (none, as the intersection is within city limits) and asked about the source of the $89,290 general fund contribution, noting he would follow up with the finance director. The committee expressed support for the long-overdue upgrade.
- Update on Traffic Lights at Union Boulevard and 6th and Walnut: At a council member’s request, Mr. Shatter reported that the contract for repairing the traffic signals at that intersection has been fully executed and a purchase order issued to the vendor. Parts are expected in 3–4 weeks, after which the signals will be restored.
Key Outcomes
- Motion to Send Bill 24 to Full Council: A motion was made and seconded; all members present voted in favor (voice vote: ayes). The bill will proceed to the full city council with a positive recommendation.
- Next Steps: The city will begin design using grant funds, with construction to follow after bidding. The project must be completed by June 2028. The finance director will be consulted regarding the $89,290 general fund allocation.
Meeting Transcript
Okay. Good evening. Welcome to the public work committee meeting. Mr. Hanlin, please do the roll call. Okay, Ms. Mona and Mr. Pongo are here. Council first now. Okay, thank you. Um we have just one bill, Bill 24, Mr. Hamlin. Bill 24 amends the twenty twenty-six capital fund budget to provide for an increase of one million eighty-seven thousand and three hundred and ninety dollars to fund the upgrade to the intersection of nineteenth street and Roth Avenue as part of the Green Light Go grant the city was awarded. Okay, and we have here Mr. Shatter. Yes, good evening. Thank you. Uh so this ordinance this evening is to accept a little bit under one point one million dollars the of funding that we received through the state uh with the Green Light Go grant. Uh these grants are made available to municipalities to update their uh current uh traffic signal systems. Uh so we're gonna be using this funding to to uh modernize the intersection at nineteenth and Roth Avenue. Uh that's one of the few intersections that we have left where we have a traffic signal that's dangling from overhead wires. Uh so we're stepping into the twenty-first century here with this grant and doing the necessary upgrades to modernize that intersection. Uh the upgrades consist of mast arms, poles, new traffic signal with retro reflective back plates, uh pedestrian infrastructure, so there'll be a pedestrian countdown signals on each corner along with uh new crosswalks and handicap ramps. Is that the only uh what light that you have hanging from a wire? I'm aware of two intersections, that's one of them, and the second one's at six and green leaf. So we'll be pursuing future grant opportunities to also modernize that intersection as well. And you said that this is the oldest, right? This is the oldest, yes. Wow. Long overdue. Very excited about this. Um I have I have a few questions. I would like to know um do we have to match it? Do we have to match that, you know, that million dollars? Yes, there with this grant there is a twenty-five percent match, which comes out to be a hundred and ninety-nine thousand six hundred and twenty dollars. So that's our contribution towards the match part of the grant. Okay. So when will this be done? Let's say if this um, you know, of course we're gonna pass this, but um when will this be done? Really good question. So the grant agreement's good for two years. Uh so the the money that we're receiving here will cover the cost of the design before we could put the construction out to bid. We have to complete the design. Uh once the design is completed, then we'll put the project out to bid for construction. Uh so the grant agreement is good for until June of twenty twenty eight. So we have two years to do the design and complete the construction. Okay. Any questions from the values? Go ahead, Mr. Pongo.
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