Palmerton Borough officials are thankful a traffic signal project at Third Street and Delaware Avenue continues to inch its way closer to completion.

On a 6-0 vote, borough council on Thursday approved the third installment based on Keystone Consulting Engineers recommendation to Telco Inc. in the amount of $148,821.

Councilman Kris Hoffner said the traffic signal project is sorely needed, as there have been a lot of close calls, and that the sooner the project gets done, the better.

“Thank God that’s being done,” Hoffner said. “There were seven traffic accidents last year at that intersection.”

Councilman William Gallagher was absent.

Borough Manager Autumn Canfield previously said the project remains on schedule to be finished in July.

In January, council approved the first payment request in the amount of $80,371 to Telco.

The scope of the work for Delaware Avenue and Third Street includes removing the existing traffic signal at Delaware Avenue and Third Street and installing a new traffic signal.

The project also includes all related traffic signal infrastructure including signal heads, signs, preemption traffic signal poles, pedestrian push-button signals and push buttons, new controller cabinet and electrical service, and relocation of existing signs as noted on the drawings, line striping and loops.

In May, council on a 6-0 vote awarded a bid to Telco in the amount of $483,215.

The borough obtained an Automated Red Light Enforcement grant, and worked on permitting through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

In December 2021, Palmerton received $329,398 to bring the intersection up to current PennDOT safety standards.