Slippery Rock Borough Council split in a decision to write a letter giving the Slippery Rock Municipal Authority permission to reroute traffic onto borough roads during a Slippery Rock Municipal Authority project.

The authority has plans to install about 4,100 feet of water main along Main Street this year, doing so one year before the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation plans to repave the same area.

Borough council gave the municipal authority permission, but in a 4-3 vote with council members Denton Zeronas, Jeff Campbell and Lauren Christmann voting against the motion.

“These are very old lines that have had multiple breaks in the past couple years,” said council President Russell Karl. “Detouring traffic as they do each section seems to be the most logical decision.”

Those in opposition reinforced concerns raised by Mayor Jondavid Longo regarding the effects rerouting traffic might have on businesses along Main Street that have struggled throughout the pandemic.

This is an excerpt from a larger article that appeared in Thursday’s Butler Eagle. Subscribe online or in print to read the full article.