Wheatland council has agreed to have a sidewalk built up Mercer Avenue, even though it will be a lot shorter than borough officials had hoped for.

Council agreed Monday to go along with a PennDOT proposal to build the sidewalk to Patton Avenue at the Farrell line.

The borough was awarded a $212,000 PennDOT grant in February 2000 to build a sidewalk on the north side of Mercer from the existing portion at about Chestnut Street to Shenango Boulevard in Farrell.

Based on estimates available at the time, officials knew the grant would not be enough to cover the whole length, but expected it to reach into Farrell.

The sidewalk is expected to mostly be used by children walking to school.

Council President David Cusick said council still wants to extend the sidewalk the length of Mercer.

"We want this to be considered part of the project and we will pursue the rest of it later," he said.

The borough will seek more grant funding, he said.

PennDOT has accepted bids and is responsible for awarding the construction contract.

Dennis Puko, executive director of Mercer County Regional Planning Commission, said a contract could be awarded soon.

Puko said his agency and borough officials were to discuss the project with PennDOT officials today.

"We're going to pow wow and make sure everyone is on the same page before we award that," he said.