EVANS CITY — Discussions will continue regarding the potential for a traffic bypass around the borough, which would relieve the ever-worsening traffic congestion on Main Street.

Paul Foster last week told his fellow council members the borough planning commission, of which Foster is a member, last month voted unanimously to recommend the council proceed with the idea of a bypass.

Foster told the council that state Department of Transportation traffic count numbers show that Main Street in Evans City has as much through traffic as Route 228 in Seven Fields.

“And they’re talking about making that four lanes,” Foster said of the Seven Fields section of Route 228.

He said widening Route 68 through the borough would be impossible because of existing buildings.

“That’s why we are looking at the possibility of doing a bypass,” Foster said.

Many commuters use Route 68 to get from Butler and areas east of the borough to Route 528, where they can access Interstate 79. Others use Route 68 to get to Cranberry Township via Franklin Road, which is off Route 68 in the borough near the railroad tracks.

A potential route for the bypass would be to extend Lindsay Road across Route 68 to the sewage treatment plant, around the north end of Evans City, and reconnect with Route 68 near Brownsdale Road.

Foster said the project, which would require a bridge and railroad crossing, could cost $50 million or more.

While he said he has heard concerns that a bypass would harm businesses in the borough, Foster pointed out both Mars and Harmony are economically successful even though they are not on major highways.

The first step of a potential bypass project, Foster noted, would be to talk to the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission about getting on its list of future projects.

Foster said the bypass could benefit Evans City by making it more livable, and shoppers may be more prone to come to the borough if the constant snarl of traffic is eliminated. He also said it could create a new business district on North Washington Street.

“With your support, I would pursue it heavily,” Foster said.

The council members voted unanimously to go with the idea.

A survey on the Evans City website, evanscity.us, asks whether a bypass should be built around the north end of the borough. A majority of the 355 respondents as of Thursday replied “yes” to the bypass, and most included a comment with their vote.

Eric Lamison, chairman of the planning commission, put the survey on the website to get the public’s thoughts on the issue. He said the survey will remain on the site indefinitely for now.

Lamison was pleasantly surprised with the number of respondents who took the time to vote and comment on the bypass idea.

“I just wanted to get a feeler out,” Lamison said. “I wasn’t expecting that many responses, honestly.”

Jack Weber, owner of Weber Insurance on Main Street, fears such a bypass would harm Evans City.

“I’m against it,” Weber said on Tuesday. “I think it would turn Evans City into a ghost town.”

Debbie Collins, owner of Sports and Spirits on Main Street, agreed with Weber.

“Their thinking is if we build a bypass and there’s less traffic, more people will stop in Evans City,” Collins said. “That’s not going to happen. If (a motorist) is already on that bypass, they’re not going to get off.”

Collins said traffic tie-ups can be found in numerous towns in the region.

“My husband grew up here. It’s such a cozy little place,” Collins said. “It would be a shame to put a bypass over it and forget it.”

Foster stressed the borough is looking into the issue and has not made a final decision on the bypass.