In order to make the Tamaqua Heritage Festival accessible to all, Tamaqua Borough Council approved a request to close a portion of West Broad Street to traffic.

Council also approved restricting parking on the stretch of West Broad Street, which is state Route 209, between South Railroad and Lehigh streets for the Oct. 8 event.

The requested road closure now goes to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for approval.

The request was made by Dale Freudenberger, president of the Tamaqua Historical Society, which organizes the Heritage Festival each October and Summerfest every June.

“The purpose of this request is to make the Tamaqua Heritage Festival more handicapped accessible and less congested,” he wrote in a letter to council that was read Tuesday.

Typically, vendors have their stands along sidewalks and the street is open to traffic. Thousands attend the day-long festivals.

In the past, and as recent as last month, resident Karrie Garber has expressed her concerns about the festivals’ inaccessibility. Garber, who is physically handicapped, told council and the historical society that it is impossible to navigate through the festival.

She started a petition to have the festival moved to another location that would be “more easily accessible to people with disabilities that walk with walkers, canes, use wheelchairs, and even people who have children who still use a stroller.”

The move, she suggested in the petition, could help the physically handicapped, elderly and families with small children.

In June, Garber said the recent Summerfest was extremely congested. Council members agreed.

Council’s Parking and Traffic Committee recently met with historical society officials to discuss solutions.

“We did have a very nice and productive meeting with the historical society,” Councilwoman Kathy Kunkel said.

Freudenberger asked that West Broad Street be closed from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. even though the festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“But this is the first time closing down Route 209 so we have built in additional time for set up and close-up afterward,” he said.

If the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation gives its approval, Freudenberger said he will contact council about detour routes, signage and restricted parking areas.

Kunkel said that the borough is seeking quotes for signs. She said the borough would split the cost with the historical society.

Freudenberger’s request passed unanimously.