Franklin Park council directs engineer to pursue crosswalk design, agrees to fund $15,000 from savings

The Franklin Park Borough Council directed the borough engineer to continue design and engineering work for a proposed crosswalk near the middle school and to pursue grant funding and bidding, with the council agreeing to reallocate approximately $15,000 from existing savings to cover this year's engineering costs.

Council members emphasized pedestrian safety around the 910 roadway and the middle school and discussed how to split the project across two fiscal years. Mayor (unnamed) said the crosswalk is a safety priority and that the borough should find the money now for design so the project can be advanced: "As mayor, I'm responsible for safety. This upsets me because we had talked about this...this project would begin, not at the 2026. I'm concerned about that area." The council agreed the design work should proceed now so that bids could be available before the 2026 budget is finalized.

Why it matters: Council members said the crosswalk addresses recurring safety concerns for families, children and people walking with mobility aids at a school-adjacent crossing. Completing design and getting real bid prices before the 2026 budget could allow the borough to include construction costs next year if grants are not awarded.

Council debate and guidance: Discussion centered on budget timing, the size of the overall project and how to fund the initial engineering. Several council members said they supported the crosswalk in principle but were concerned about adding to the borough's deficit. One councilmember noted the borough's projected end-of-year deficit and asked where the $15,000 would come from; the finance director said staff could identify savings within the existing budget (for example, a roof project that is $20,000 under budget was cited) and that a resolution could reallocate those savings. The borough's practice and "borough code" procedures for midyear budget transfers were discussed as the mechanism to move funds.

Timeline and grant strategy: Staff said the borough will submit grant applications (the HOP application process was referenced during the discussion), and the engineer should design the crossing assuming a flashing, lighted crossing (the rapid red/flashing alternative was discussed). The council asked staff to aim to solicit bids by November so the actual bid amounts are known before the borough finalizes the 2026 budget; if a grant is not received, construction would be considered for inclusion in the 2026 budget. The council noted that design work is likely to cost about $15,000 this fiscal year; council members estimated construction could be about $100,000 (the transcript referenced a roughly six-figure construction estimate), leaving roughly $85,000 potentially needed in 2026 if grant funding is not secured.

Implementation and risk: Staff and council emphasized the project remains contingent on competitive grant awards and bid results. The council's direction was procedural rather than a formal, roll-call vote: "As of now, the direction for Sean is to continue do the design, stick with that $15,000 budget, or so, and then you've had budget 6 season, figure out, applying for grants or otherwise funding." The borough will document any midyear transfer by resolution and ledger transaction if savings are reallocated.