There’s now no need for battery backup for the main traffic signal at Walnutport’s busiest intersection.

That was the consensus of borough council on Thursday in relation to the traffic light at Best Avenue and Main Street. Council members Harold Greene and Joan Rehrig were absent.

Borough engineer Jason Newhard said that since the controller panel is going to be replaced by an insurance claim, the public works staff previously indicated the borough should consider battery backup in order to use the $24,000 in available grant money.

However, after contacting Telco, the borough’s maintenance contractor, and two separate departments in the state Department of Transportation, Newhard said council now had two choices to consider.

One choice, Newhard said, was for no battery backup and no need to advertise for bids with prevailing wages, since the remaining EMS pre-emption and LED light change will be less than the $20,100 bid threshold. Newhard would need to obtain three quotes for the work.

The other choice, Newhard said, was to add battery backup and require resubmission and approval of the condition diagram for the intersection. That would need to go inside a ground-mounted cabinet separate from the controller, and would add an additional $12,000 to $15,000 to the project, and would be over the $24,000 grant amount, he said.

Council told Newhard not to worry about the battery backup.

Last month, council authorized Newhard to bid out the traffic light, as he noted at that time the borough had received final PennDOT approval for the condition diagram to upgrade to EMS pre-emption.

As a result, the borough had to discuss additions due to the control panel being replaced by insurance money.

Council at that time agreed to a suggestion by borough grant coordinator Michael Wentz to add battery backup.

The borough submitted the revised traffic signal condition diagram to the state Department of Transportation in May.

Wentz said in May that the borough was previously awarded a $25,000 Green Light — GO program 50/50 matching grant.

He said the borough was awarded the grant two years ago through PennDOT to update the light.

As part of the project, the light would receive new light heads, a new controller and control box and emergency pre-emption.