Allen bike route approved

Council debates accepting Pizza Hut liquor license transfer before giving OK

Lauren Boyer

STATE COLLEGE — After months of revisions sparked by community input, Borough Council approved a plan for a bike route along South Allen Street.

CDT/Nabil K. Mark

The intersection of Easterly Parkway and South Allen St. has a bike route sign. There is a proposal to add a bike lane to S. Allen St. CDT/Nabil K. Mark August 27, 2009

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At Monday night’s meeting — the first with newly appointed interim Mayor Felicia Lewis presiding -— the council voted 4-2 to implement a bike path along South Allen Street from Foster Avenue to Waupelani Drive and on Waupelani Drive from South Allen Street to Whitehall Road.

The plan removes parking from the 400 block of South Allen Street, relocating it to the 400 block of South Pugh Street.

The 1100 block of South Allen Street will display signs and marking for bicycles and vehicles to “Share the Road.”

Metered parking will be restored to the 100 block of Foster Avenue, eliminating an existing bike lane. This concerned Councilwoman Elizabeth Goreham, who voted against the proposal. She said council spent three years debating and planning that Foster Avenue bike route.

“It’s very important that whatever we do on Allen we don’t take back what’s already given,” Goreham said.

Also voting against the proposal, Councilman Peter Morris called the deletion of the Foster Avenue bike lane a “step backwards,” arguing that “sacrifices have to be made” to make State College bicycle-friendly.

“One thing that seems consistent in the borough is good intentions,” said Councilman Don Hahn. “There’s a reality here. People still drive to go to shops … It’s also very damaging to our businesses to remove parking and not restore it.”

In other business, council approved 5-1 the transfer of a liquor license from the Pizza Hut at 2609 E. College Ave. in College Township to the Pizza Hut at 760 S. Atherton St. in the borough. Councilman Ron Filippelli provided the dissenting vote.

While Borough Council can review and approve the license transfer, the state Liquor Control Board has the final authority in transferring liquor licenses.

“At a time when the borough is besieged by excessive use of alcohol … This is an instance where we have the opportunity to have a say,” said Filippelli. “I think we should exercise that authority and take what I call the moral high ground.”

Goreham’s recommendation to restrict the Pizza Hut’s liquor sales solely to on-premises consumption was struck down after some debate.

“A lot of us buy pizza to go and we frequently buy a six pack to go with it,” Carol Gold, of 134 E. Doris Ave., told the council. “There are a lot of grown-ups in the borough, too, and we like our six-packs sometimes.”