PORT CARBON - On Tuesday, the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Harrisburg, approved the borough's design plan for a basketball court at Francis E. Lubinsky Playground, according to borough engineer James S. Tohill of Alfred Benesch & Co., Pottsville.
But at the council's June workshop on Tuesday, Tohill recommended the borough wait until 2015 to start the project, since construction work at the Pottsville Street Bridge near the playground could lead to congestion.
"I know council was concerned about doing the construction while the Pottsville Street Project was going on. So if that's still a concern, I'd want to hold off. And I wouldn't recommend doing it late in the season," Tohill said.
In late 2012, the borough received a grant to put up a basketball court at Francis E. Lubinsky Playground. It's a $60,000 project. DCNR will contribute $40,000 to the proposed project and the borough will have to chip in $20,000, Tohill said previously.
The playground is located near Pottsville and Commerce streets. The proposed basketball court will be at the south end of the park near the pavilion.
In other matters, police Chief Jon J. Bowman reported the borough spent about $200 to buy two minicade portable stop signs to further encourage motorists to stop at the intersection of Jackson and Washington streets.
In May, the borough discussed buying flashing lights to attach to its existing stops signs, but the lights were more costly, Bowman said.
Motorists who drive through Port Carbon are still becoming familiar with a detour around the Pottsville Street Bridge, which went under construction April 22. Some weren't able to recognize the borough's existing stop signs since the additional directional signs and a temporary stop light at Jackson and Coal were installed.
During construction, traffic is being detoured on Commerce, Jackson, Coal and Market streets. The detour will continue until mid-October when the new bridge is expected to open.
In other matters regarding police, the borough council bought three new radios using borough funds: two mobile radios, Motorola APX6500 models, each at the price of $5,166; and one portable radio, a Motorola APX6000 model, at a price of $3,900.50.
Inmates from Schuylkill County Prison were doing community service in the borough Tuesday, painting curbs on Pike Street, according to Councilman Mike Quercia.