Lehighton Borough Council will have the first phase of the safety improvements in Lehighton’s Waterfront area to be designed and bid, and proceed with the engineering proposal of $48,000.

Borough Manager Nicole Beckett said the plan consists of a pedestrian trail along Lehigh Drive, pedestrian improvements on Main Lane to include one pedestrian beacon lights and two landscaped concrete bump outs before and after Main Lane and painting to stripe off remaining sections of the turning lane.

Beckett noted that the borough has received a total of $480,000; $250,000 through the Multimodal Transportation Fund Program that was received last month, and $230,000 from Local Share funds that were awarded in 2020.

“There is a chance that for the pedestrian beacon (lights), the speed limit would have to be reduced,” Beckett said.

The work along Sgt. Stanley Hoffman Boulevard and Lehigh Drive will include a 6-foot-wide walkway, crosswalks, curb extensions, ADA ramps and signs.

In addition, the continuous left-turn lane along the boulevard will be removed.

That project stems from a waterfront traffic study that was completed last year at the recommendation of council for the existing conditions, and to prepare for future growth.