Scranton council approves school‑zone changes, street conversion and $3.1M RACP grant; several ordinances pass unanimously

Council President Smearl presided over a July 22 meeting of the Scranton City Council at which members approved several ordinances and resolutions affecting parking, traffic patterns and redevelopment, and moved to accept a Commonwealth grant of up to $3,112,254 for repairs to City Hall’s roof.

The most immediate actions approved by roll call will change traffic and parking near Francis Willard Elementary School: the council adopted an ordinance establishing school‑zone restrictions at four intersections (Hampton Street at South Main Avenue; Hampton Street at Twelfth Avenue; Inon Street at South Main Avenue; and Inon Street at Twelfth Avenue), established a no‑parking zone at the mid‑block crosswalk near Francis Willard, and approved converting Hampton Street to a one‑way eastbound street between Twelfth Avenue and South Main Avenue. The votes on those items were recorded as unanimous in the roll calls during the meeting.

Why it matters: the measures affect vehicle flow and curbside parking near a neighborhood elementary school and are intended to formalize traffic controls the council said were previously lacking.

Other ordinances advanced or adopted at the session included:

- Final passage of an ordinance (filed as 88‑2025) repealing a 1928 provision that prohibited overnight parking citywide; councilmembers said the text was antiquated and approved removing it from the municipal…