HARMONY — The borough wants to clear up some confusion over its downtown redevelopment project.

At its Nov. 12 borough council meeting, some residents were concerned that one recommendation — to gradually close part of Main Street to vehicular traffic — by Downtown Redevelopment Services would happen immediately should council approve it. It will, instead, take place in two parts.

“There was some misunderstanding as to it being a multiphase process,” Ben Levenger, DRS president, said.

Harmony posted a public explanation of that part of the plan on its website to help tamp down that misunderstanding.

In addition, under the plan, Mercer Road would remain open to traffic, even if cars were barred from Main Street. Levenger said an Oct. 8 headline in the Butler Eagle reading “Harmony might close off town square to traffic” contributed to the confusion.

Should the borough follow DRS's recommendations, Levenger said, the plan would be completed in two parts.

In the first step, Harmony would cobble the square and install new brick sidewalks, vegetation and signs. Additionally, the borough would add zero-grade elevation transitions in the town square.

In a second phase, vehicular traffic on Main Street would be curtailed after several years of progressively closing the road. Levenger said this is not a definite possibility, as residents can share their thoughts on a car-free town square during the process.

“If they don't like it, it doesn't have to be done,” he said.

DRS delivered its final recommendations — based on resident input at several public meetings — to the borough earlier this month. Levenger said the presentation had no substantive changes, but instead delivered more explanation about the process.

Borough council has not completed its internal review of the file, at which point it will be available to the public. Levenger said he hopes the borough will adopt the recommendations close to the beginning of 2020.