Transportation changes for Schuylkill County

The new year will bring big changes for anyone who uses public transportation in Schuylkill County.

Tamaqua Councilman Micah Gursky made the announcement at Tuesday night’s borough council meeting, saying the Schuylkill Transportation System will be starting a new route to include regular stops at several points in Tamaqua. The route will continue on to points in Hometown, including the Farmers Market and Walmart and will also include stops in McAdoo. This will allow travelers the opportunity to link up with the Hazleton area bus route.

Stops will include locations along East and West Broad Street and the Tamaqua Plaza, as well as Brockton, Mary D, Tuscarora and Coaldale.

“In the past, there was not a fixed route at all,” Gursky said. The move was announced at a recent public meeting, where Gursky said STS had a lot of nice things to say about the east end of the county. “This is a good opportunity to use public transportation,” he explained, calling it a “significant move. Kids and seniors ride free and regular bus tickets are something like $1.50, with a 25-cent transfer fee.”

Gursky asked that the borough work with STS to install bus stop signs and help increase awareness of the bus schedule. The move is a result of the closure of the Schuylkill Mall, which freed up a bus, so the company decided to redirect it in the Tamaqua area.

“I hope people ride it and take advantage of it,” Gursky said.

In other business, council approved certificates of appropriateness for a signage change at 109 W. Broad St. and a sign installation at 204 E. Broad St.

Council heard from resident James Kemmerer, who reported smelling sewer gas at his home on Spruce Street. Kemmerer said the issue has been ongoing, and Councilman Ron Bowman, who lives in the area as well, agreed.

“It gets to a point that you live there for 30 years and you don’t notice it as much,” he said.

Councilman Brian Connely, who also serves on the borough authority, said this is the first time he has heard about the problem.

Council will have the borough look into the matter and see what can be done.

Borough Manager Kevin Steigerwalt said he is aware of the problem, and it tends to be seasonal.

In the past, the borough has tried flushing the lines to help with the problem, but it is recurring.