City of Scranton Council Responses | April 7, 2026

Council President Tom Schuster asked the following question:

• Mr. Schuster asked if the City and City Engineer may please move forward to approve or deny a no parking ordinance request to the city law department for the Unit Block of South Irving Avenue to resolve the ongoing parking situation and dispute. The majority of the neighbors on the block do not favor removal of the parking spots and continue to come to Council meeting and contact the City Council via phone and email for a resolution. Council does realize that a turnaround on a dead-end street is generally warranted in a municipality.
  • The City engineer will review.
• May Council please have an update on the walkability study, where we’re at with the study, what actions will take place downtown, and a timeline on the actions?
  • The walkability study from Speck and Associates is attached. This was presented at Lackawanna College on June 21, 2023 and is also posted on the city website.
  • The City engineer and project management team presented the entire walkability/streetscape plan in multiple council caucuses in October 2025, with council passing the related ordinances on October 28, 2025. Please contact Frank Voldenberg for this information.
  • Council approved the following construction contracts related to the walkability/streetscape project:
    • Lackawanna Avenue (Multiscape): 9/30/2025
    • West Side Gateway (Baseline contracting): 10/2/8/2025
    • Wyoming Avenue (Kriger Construction): 12/2/2025
    • N Washington/Linden (Kriger Construction): 12/2/2025
    • Adams Avenue (American Asphalt): 12/2/2025
    • Biden Street (Kriger Construction): 12/9/2025
  • Contract scopes:
    • Adams Avenue
      • Streetscape Improvements on Adams Avenue from Biden Street to Mulberry; Mulberry to Jefferson: Jefferson to Biden. Construction of curbs, sidewalks, handicapped ramps, period lighting, sidewalk vault improvements, signing and pavement marking and landscape improvements and related work. NTP- Adams: 3/10/2026
    • N Washington/Linden
      • Linden Street Streetscape Improvements include Adams Avenue from Biden Street to Linden Street including the intersection of Linden Street and Adams Avenue and Linden Street from Adams Avenue to North Washington Street and North Washington Street from Linden Street to Vine Street Work shall be subject to the terms of a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit. NTP- N Washington/Linden: 3/10/2026
    • Biden
      • Biden Street Streetscape Improvements on Biden Street from Jefferson Avenue to Penn Avenue, includes but is not limited to the items listed below. Work shall be subject to the terms of a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit. Construction of curbs, sidewalks, handicapped ramps, period lighting, sidewalk vault improvements, signing and pavement marking and landscape improvements and related work. NTP- Biden St: 12/30/2025
    • Wyoming
      • Wyoming Avenue from Biden Street to Linden Street including the intersection of Linden Street; Construction of curbs, sidewalks, handicapped ramps, period lighting, sidewalk vault improvements, signing and pavement marking and landscape improvements and related work. NTP- Wyoming ave: 3/23/2026
    • West Side Gateway
      • Streetscape Improvements on North Main Avenue from 500 ft. south of the intersection of West Gibson St. to the intersection of the North Scranton Expressway southbound ramps. Work includes new curbs, sidewalks, period lighting and related work, retaining wall, tree planting, traffic control during construction, pavement restoration and line striping. Work shall be subject to the terms of a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit. NTP- West side gateway: 11/11/2025
  • ARPA Substantial completion dates
    • Wyoming Ave: ARPA deadline of Sept. 30, 2026
    • Biden St: ARPA deadline of Sept. 30, 2026
    • N Washington/Linden: 7/23/2026
    • Adams: ARPA deadline of Sept. 30, 2026
    • West side gateway: 7/29/2026
    • Lackawanna Ave: 7/21/2026
    • Work funded by other sources will continue until the spring of 2027.
• Mr. Schuster asked if Council may please have a copy of the DEP Plan for the Meadow Brook Project?
  • DEP has requested we do not give the plans out. We are happy to meet and discuss the plans as we did with Mr. Flynn.
• Mr. Schuster inquired if Parks & Recreation Director may provide an update on the city pools and parks for the coming season? What are the plans for the pools and parks, what timelines are set to date for opening and what projects will be done for the parks and pools this summer.
  • We generally open one pool and one splashpad for Memorial Day weekend as many people go away for the holiday. Then pool openings are strategically timed to coincide with the end of the public-school year. The Scranton School District currently has high school graduations scheduled for Tues., June 9, 2026, so pools will likely open in that week. After opening day, pools will remain open daily from noon to 6 p.m. through Labor Day. Weston Field’s indoor pool is open year-round weekdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for adult swim, and from 3 to 5:30 p.m. for the adults and kids.
    
    Last year, we had Connell Park, Weston Park, and Weston Field pools open, as well as Novembrino splash pad. This year, we will be adding Nay Aug Pool and Capouse splash pad to our open facilities. Between all of the offerings, patrons will find various depths and features.
    Nay Aug athletic courts will be open mid- to late-May. We are awaiting the court sealing (weather dependent).
    
    Grace Street will see a playground renovation, and Connell Park should be starting work in May. Weston Field will see some upgrades as well. The timeline for Weston Field is unknown as we are still in the planning phase.
    
    As we did last year, the Parks Department will continue to have Art, Movies, and Music in the Park. At Weston Field, we have swim lessons lined up, kids cooking classes, kids art classes, senior art classes, basketball, and pickleball. We are proud to offer our summer camp again at Weston Field this year
• Do the city and city project managers communicate with PPL regarding the increasing number of double-poles showing throughout the city?
  • The project management office and Department of Public Works coordinate with pole owners when any public safety concerns are reported. The City holds no determining authority on location and reasonableness of pole placement as long as it is within the right-of-way. The City only has authority where there is a risk to public safety or City assets such as roads and sidewalks.

Council Vice President Patrick Flynn asked the following question:

• Regarding Item 6A on the evening agenda, Mr. Flynn referenced the unforeseen professional services and asked if in prior years that the DPW handled by shoveling the snow from the sides of the streets and taking to other places. He reiterated that he was told at the time of the event all that the third-party contractors did was removal of the snow from the side of the streets.
  • The need for third-party snow removal from the side of our streets was caused by the extreme cold that accompanied the January storm. Normally, DPW would not need to account for the removal of snow after plowing, but weather conditions were cold enough to require additional professional services. Past practice has been to augment DPW during significant snowstorms to remove large quantities of snow in and around the downtown area to alleviate large piles of snow for increased pedestrian and motor vehicle safety.

Councilman Mark McAndrew asked the following:

• With the arrival of the warmer weather, Mr. McAndrew noted the increase in ATV and electric bike activity on city streets and sidewalks. He asked if SPD management may please advise the Council with an plans or strategy to control and enforce their use on city streets, sidewalks, and properties.
  • SPD shares Councilman Mark McAndrew’s safety concerns regarding ATVs and E-bikes and will continue to work with the public to take appropriate measures to enforce the applicable laws.
• Mr. McAndrew asked if the city administration may please provide him with the process, including forms, applications, and related department contacts regarding parking signs for businesses. Mr. McAndrew received this inquiry from a downtown business owner. Council realizes the 2019 ordinance prohibits time related signage in the city; Mr. McAndrew asks if downtown business signage is allowed.
  • As part of the City’s negotiations and resulting Amendment to the Parking Lease Concession Agreement, it was agreed that all signs regulating on-street parking that were not lawfully authorized by the Mayor and City Council would be removed, and instead, a Loading Zone would be established on each block in the downtown for shared use by businesses. If a business wishes to request a Loading Zone on a block in which one does not already exist, they may contact Car Park or the City via the Law Department.
• Councilman Mark McAndrew and Council member Dr. Jessica Rothchild asked if the city may please again consider adding residents to the Unsheltered Task Force Committee as an advisory group. Council would consider and recommend each party for the group.
  • The City will review this request.

City of Scranton Council Responses – April 7, 2026 | PDF

Last modified: April 7, 2026