Foster to pave three streets

by James Hunter

Portions of three streets will be paved, and the sewer line will be extended further up Route 940 this summer in Foster Township. At their April 12 monthly meeting, supervisors voted to advertise a bid packet to pave Washington Street from the Freeland Borough line to Hazle Street, and then to Center Street; Ridge Street from the borough line to Hazle Street, and Fern Street from Wyoming Street to Hazle Street.

Sikora Excavating, Avonmore, Westmoreland County, was awarded a $264,320 contract to build the second phase of the Route 940 sewer extension from approximately Balas Distributing to Gera’s.

“We will pick up six or seven major commercial accounts,” said supervisors’ chairman Wilson Malloy. “The entire project is being done with grant money.”

Sikora Excavating was the lowest of six bidders for the project, the highest bid being $555,000, but the other four closer to the Sikora’s. The first phase of the project, completed about two years ago, extended the sewer from Carbon Street to Balas Distributing.

Other business

The supervisors voted to purchase a vacant double home at 321-323 Fern Street, from Luzerne County repository sale, for $500.

“We are going to tear it down, and offer the land for a new home,” Malloy said, “The home had been vacant for about 15 years,” Street sweeping in the township will be done during the last week of April. The street sweeping schedule will be on Foster Township’s website, and posted on the door of the municipal building. Malloy also warned township residents to take extra caution with outdoor burning, because of extremely dry conditions this spring. The county has issued a Red Flag alert.