EVANS CITY — If borough council heeds the suggestion of its police chief, the annual Halloween parade will have a new time.

Chief Joe McCombs told council Monday that because of traffic and safety, council should re-evaluate the tradition of holding the parade on a weeknight evening.

This year, the parade closed Main Street at about 6 p.m. Oct. 26, a Thursday.

He said the parade caused enough traffic congestion to stop movement along Route 68 six or eight times.

McCombs said that an accident or emergency during the parade — at its traditional time — would cause a chaotic event because of the traffic and parking.

McCombs noted that Zelienople holds its Halloween parade on Saturday afternoons.

But council President Cheri Deener said that, while she understands the reasons for changing the parade time and date, she would prefer to keep it in the evening.

She suggested moving the starting time back one hour to 7 p.m., when rush-hour traffic is typically lighter.

But McCombs said parade organizers have done that in the past, but it had little impact on traffic congestion.

McCombs suggested a Saturday afternoon, saying the parades impact on traffic would be reduced while making the event safer for children.

"Itwould avoid darkness,"he said.