ZELIENOPLE — The initial design for one phase of the Main Street Revitalization project was unveiled at Monday night’s borough council meeting.

The streetscape phase of the project has part of Main Street between New Castle and Spring streets renovated for better pedestrian use.

“It’s a good start,” council President Allen Bayer said.

One amenity includes tall and short light poles with directional LED lighting.

The tall poles, about 23 feet high, are the same height as the ones to be installed in the municipal parking lot also planned for the revitalization project. About 10 tall poles are called for in the design.

The shorter poles measure 12 to 15 feet tall.

No trees on the sidewalks are in the design.

Jim Feath, senior landscape architect for the Herbert, Rowland & Grubic design firm, said trees were originally to be planted by the intersections. However, he said the state Department of Transportation “gave a firm no” on the idea.

While concrete is planned for the sidewalks, exposed aggregate finish was discussed for the intersections. The material is attractive and durable, according to Herbert, Rowland & Grubic design firm officials.

“The pebble is very fine,” said Feath. “This isn’t going to be an aggressive texture surface. It’s also fairly easy to fix and replace.”

Two “bump outs,” which extend from the sidewalk and into parking lanes, will contain vegetation and rock gravel.

When rainwater moves on the street, the bump outs collect some of the water to help grow the vegetation.

“It’s like a vegetative sponge,” Feath said.

Bayer said the bump outs will pose a problem for large trucks.

“Trucks are going over it every day,” Bayer said. “You cannot stop them. If we do it, it’s going to be run over every day.”

Feath said PennDOT asked for an analysis on truck drivers traveling through Main Street.

Borough engineer Tom Thompson said PennDOT will “not welcome you with open arms” for the design.

“They’re going to question ‘Do you really want to do this?’” he said to HRG officials. “They won’t fight you on it, but it’s going to be an issue. But it’s ultimately your decision.”

Another issue discussed was snow removal from the street with the bump outs.

Public works director Chad Garland said moving around them should not be a problem.

“They’re not horrible,” Garland said. “Actually, it may give us more room to put snow in as opposed to the sidewalks where business owners have to shovel it off.”

Traffic flow was another potential issue discussed.

“The drawback is you won’t have room if someone happens to be wanting to make a left onto Spring Street. It will cue traffic,” HRG representative Darren Myer said.

The portion of Spring Street near Main Street will be the site of the planned municipal parking lot.

“That’s a very common route to take to avoid the main intersection at Kaufman House,” Bayer said. “A lot of people do make that left turn.”

HRG also presented its design for the parking lot to council in recent months, with the final design approved in January.

Feath and Myer said HRG will present the design to PennDOT.

Council did not take action on the streetscape design.