This summer’s experiment creating an entertainment plaza on a section of New Castle Street, just off Main Street, has been generally well-received. There are concerns over the impact on nearby businesses caused by elimination of nine parking spaces lost in creation of the plaza.

Desite those concerns, there is wide agreement that switching the traffic signal at New Castle and Main streets to flashing yellow has improved traffic flow through the city.

Butler City Council is scheduled to vote this evening on whether to approve removal of the signal.

A planned two-year traffic study by the state Department of Transportation might complicate the signal decision.

The New Castle traffic light is the only signal at any half-block intersection on Main Street. And while the half-block signal has long been accepted as part of Main Street, this summer’s experience has shown that elimination of that red light helps Main Street traffic move better.

PennDOT gave the city a temporary permit to put the signal on steady-blinking-yellow over the summer while the plaza was operating. But the 90-day trial period is ending and PennDOT has told the city that the signal must either be set for permanent removal or be returned to normal operation by Sept. 6.

Despite the parking concerns expressed by an estimated 20 people attending Tuesday’s public forum at City Hall, the sights and sounds of the plaza added something different to the downtown. For that reason, it should return next year. If it continues to generate positive feedback after a few summers, it should be made permanent — at least on a seasonal basis.

By voting to eliminate the New Castle Street traffic signal, the city council will help the flow of traffic on Main Street and also allow the parkette to return next summer. PennDOT has told city officials that if the signal is returned to normal operation, permission might not be granted to make it blinking-yellow-only next summer, due to the traffic study scheduled to examine 13 signals in the city.

That warning sounds more like bureaucratic inflexibility on the part of PennDOT than anything else. It’s hard to believe that a seasonal change to one traffic signal on Main Street would compromise a traffic study in the city.

Any revitalization effort for Butler acknowledges that bringing — or keeping — more people in the downtown area is a necessary step to help existing businesses and attract new ones.

The New Castle Street plaza, with weekly music performan-ces and pleasant seating options for coffee, a snack or lunch, has done that by providing something different and interesting on Main Street.

In contrast to that, the red light at New Castle Street had in recent summers contributed to gridlock-type conditions on Main Street, which only discourages people from coming into the downtown area.

Public feedback from the plaza’s first season should give city officials and volunteers who created the park ideas for making the park experience better for everyone next summer. Adding some parking spaces to the area, while still operating the plaza, should be possible.

It took creativity and initiative to imagine and then create the park. Those qualities of the plaza supporters and others can used find reasonable solutions to the parking concerns.

If the plaza continues to garner favorable comments and helps attract people to downtown Butler, it should be made permanent. But before that can happen, the city council should go ahead and approve the removal of the traffic signal.