BUTLER TWP — Township commissioners Monday accepted a state grant of more than $400,000 to upgrade traffic signals at 17 intersections.

Commissioners unanimously voted to accept the $415,686 grant from the Department of Transportation’s “Green Light-Go” program.

The township will provide a 20 percent match of $103,921, which makes the total project cost $519,607.

Township manager Tom Knights said the township applied for the grant last year. The intersections that will be upgraded were selected based on the age and condition of the existing signals, he said.

The equipment and materials will be ordered this year. A contractor will be hired to do the installation next year, Knights said.

Traffic signal controllers and controller cabinets will be upgraded at four signals on the Route 68 corridor from Meridian Road to the Route 356 intersection. Those controllers are 20 to 40 years old.

Other controllers being replaced are at the four-way intersection of Saxonburg Boulevard, Center Avenue, Freeport Road and Morton Avenue, the intersection of Hansen Avenue at Route 8 at the Picklegate Bridge and North Main Street at the Filbert Street, Delwood Road and Beech Street intersections. A left turn lane will be added at the Filbert Street intersection.

In unrelated business, the commissioners approved a job description for the director of public works and agreed to advertise the post.

The job title used to be the superintendent of public works, which Knights held for four years before he was hired as manager in July to replace Ed Kirkwood, who retired.

Knights said the job will be advertised for two to three weeks and he will join the commissioners in interviewing candidates.

He said he has continued to oversee the public works department since he became manager.

In other business, the commissioners authorized police Chief John Hays to donate nine police department body armor vests that have expired and four that are about to expire to the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Criminal Justice Training Center.

Hays said the vests expire after five-years. In the past, the department has destroyed vests after they expired.