Slatington’s traffic signal project at the intersection of Main and Church streets is going up for bid - again.

The Slatington Borough Council voted Monday night to reopen bidding on the traffic signal project after the most recent bid was about $77,000 more than the lowest bidding company had bid in 2019.

Council member David Schnaars asked, “Can we go out and rebid it again?”

Borough solicitor Edward Healey said yes, and Larry Turoscy, the borough’s engineer, said the council also could approach the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to see if they could get some more money, since the state held up the project due to COVID-19, not the borough.

Schnaars said he was reluctant to turn down the grant and reapply for it.

“PennDOT is short on money this year,” he said. “If we go back, they may reduce the amount they give us, rather than increase it.”

“There’s no reason to pick one or the other,” Healey said. “You could rebid and approach PennDOT. You’re no worse off for trying to rebid it.”

The council opted to do both.

“I’m going to move that we rebid the project and pursue PennDOT,” Schnaars said, making the motion.

Turoscy said he doesn’t think the shortage of funds in the state is part of the grant program.

Schnaars reiterated his concern, but said, “I think we should ask and see if they will give us some additional funds. The worst they can do is tell us no.”

The borough is not going to turn down the grant it received in order to reapply, said borough Manager Dan Stevens. He plans to make some calls to see if it can be increased.

The project is part of PennDOT’s Automated Red Light Enforcement program, which was established in 2010. It was created to increase safety on state roadways. Main Street is also Route 873.

The project includes upgrading the traffic signal to current standards, installation of required pavement markings, signs, curbing, sidewalks and ADA curb ramps incidental to the required work.

In January, the borough opened the two bids it received. Telco Inc. in Reading had the lowest bid at $357,038, but was disqualified due to a problem with the notarization. The other bid was from Wyoming Electric and Signal in Wyoming, Pennsylvania, at $364,360, Stevens said.

Telco originally bid $286,628 in April 2019, but the borough only had $30,000 from the liquid fuels fund and a grant for $169,000 from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The other company vying for the project was Kuharchik Construction Inc. in Exeter with a bid of $318,463, which was down from its original bid of $409,000 in 2018.

At that April 2019 meeting, Healey told the council they could hold onto the bids but not award the project, and reapply for the grant. The council opted to follow his advice, turned down the grant, and reapplied for it. In December 2019, the grant was awarded again at a little more than $270,000.

Stevens said the borough accepted the grant from the state in early 2020, but all construction projects were halted soon after because of COVID-19. The borough was notified in October that it could proceed with the project, but by then the project had to go out for bid again.

Now, the only bid available to the borough was from Wyoming Electric and Signal for more than $364,000, but the grant still comes up short with the borough on the hook for $94,000, if accepted.

Back out to bid. Back out for the grant.