Franklin Township has given a green light to changing the timing of a traffic signal located near a new hospital site.

Township supervisors on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution for St. Luke’s Hospital’s application for traffic signal approval for Route 209 and Harrity Road.

The board gave tentative approval last month, pending review from township engineer Greg Haas of Carbon Engineering.

Supervisors have since received comments from Haas stating that he had no issues with the traffic signal application.

Groundbreaking for the new hospital to be located off Harrity Road could take place in September or October.

Bob Martin, senior vice president for St. Luke’s University Health Network, gave on update on the hospital’s land development plan last month.

Martin said St. Luke’s plans to install a new water line that will begin at the former Franklin Elementary School and run all along Fairyland Road to the intersection of Fairyland and Harrity.

He said it would be optional for residents to hook up to the line.

Martin said that it will cost St. Luke’s $2 million to run the water line to the hospital, which would be at no cost to the taxpayers.

He added that they also plan to add six fire hydrants.

Township secretary Brenda Neeb said that residents that live within 780 feet of a hydrant will be included in the fire hydrant tax of 0.8 mills.

Neeb said the township needs to charge a tax because it has to pay Lehighton borough a monthly fee per each hydrant located in the township.

Martin said St. Luke’s was awaiting receipt of a highway occupancy permit from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

He said the goal is to open the hospital in 2021.

Martin said that St. Luke’s purchased an additional 20 acres near where it plans to build the hospital in Franklin.

Sam Kennedy, corporate communications director for St. Luke’s, said they acquired the land, “because it was contiguous to the property we already owned.”

No plans to develop that property have been announced.

The parcel was sold by Joshua 241324 Properties LLC, to Blue Mountain Hospital, Allentown, at a cost of $2.02 million.

The three-story hospital will include a 22-bed emergency department. It has the capacity for 80 inpatient beds, but will begin with 40 bedrooms. The new hospital will be 50 feet tall and encompass 130,000 square feet on a more than 75-acre lot.

St. Luke’s expects to employ 200 people at the new facility to start. The lot will have 535 parking spots.

A helipad will be installed to airlift trauma patients when necessary to its main hospital in Bethlehem.

The plans include widening Harrity Road to include a left-hand turning lane.