Coaldale begins steps to improve West Phillips Street

Coaldale Borough Council is taking steps to improve West Phillips Street in the area known as Kline’s Hill.

Council is currently awaiting word about a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to repave the length of the road and build a 4-foot-wide walking path along it.

The borough received assistance on the project from St. Luke’s Miners Campus, which has also pledged matching funds to get the project off the ground.

“We won’t officially know until the spring. If it does get approved, we’ll get our money in October,” said Councilwoman Claire Remington.

Whether the project is approved or not, the borough is already making improvements along Kline’s Hill.

Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a project to install new storm drains at the base of the hill.

Remington said when the road was last repaved, about 25 years ago, drains weren’t installed properly. The result is that water collects at the base of the hill in heavy storms.

“When it starts to get flat, that’s where the water is sitting,” Remington said.

That project is funded from the borough’s sewer maintenance fund.

Remington also looked at cutting a 6-foot-wide stretch of trees along Kline’s Hill in anticipation of the new walking path. However, she said they can’t fund that project right now based on the cost. She said a contractor estimated it would cost $1,000 per day and take approximately eight days to complete.

She said the tree work is needed to make way for the proposed walking path, and also to keep the trees from hanging over the street and damaging nearby electrical wires.