The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation denied Slatington’s request to lower the speed limit on Route 873 to 25 mph.

The road is called Main Street inside the borough, and has a speed limit of 35 mph coming into town, which drops to 25 mph in town.

Council member David Schnaars, chairman of the highway committee, told the council members that PennDOT said they investigated the traffic speed on the road, and 85% of the vehicles travel at or below the current posted speed limit during normal road conditions during daylight hours.

“That’s their mark,” Schnaars said.

“They also said there’s no crashes on the downgrade,” borough manager Dan Stevens added.

In other road matters, the council received a written request from St. John’s United Church of Christ on Kuntz Street to have a one of the parking spots in front of the church designated as a loading zone. The church has a history of using that space for deliveries, but it was assigned as a regular parking spot after recent roadwork.

Justin Gross, the engineer for the borough, told council that they could designate one spot to be a loading zone. It cannot be designated exclusively for the church, he said, because that would go against the stipulations in the Community Development Block Grant.

He also recommended setting a time period be set for the use.

“It can’t be a blanket loading zone,” Stevens said.

The council decided to go ahead and allow for the parking spot to be used as a loading zone between the hours of 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. They asked the borough solicitor Edmund Healy to draw up an amendment to the ordinance allowing for the loading zone.

Stevens will write a letter to the church explaining the decision.

Other business

Upcoming events in the borough include:

• Northern Lehigh School District will hold a bonfire at 7 p.m. on Thursday. The Homecoming Parade will be held on Friday, and will use Center and Union streets, and Bulldog Lane.

• The Venture Group is holding a fundraiser event from noon to 6 p.m. at the trail head on Saturday.

• The Walnutport Canal Association is holding “A Day Along the Walnutport Canal” from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

• Trick or treat in Slatington is from 6 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 27. The annual Halloween parade will be held at 6 p.m. on Oct. 30. Roads will close at 5 p.m. The rain date is Oct. 31.

• The 10th annual D&L Heritage Half Marathon will take place at 8 a.m. on Nov. 7.

• Slatington Tree Lighting ceremony will be from 4 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 3.

• The Fifth Annual Candy Cane Hunt will be from 10 to 11 a.m. on Dec. 11 at Victory Park.