As the malls and stores lining MacArthur Road and Grape Street prepare for Black Friday shoppers, Whitehall Township is also bracing for extra traffic.

Whitehall Township Mayor Edward D. Hozza Jr. concedes traffic will be frantic, but he does not expect that gridlock occurs.

PennDOT and HRI Construction have been contacted and asked to make changes to the timing of traffic lights in the areas where major construction taking place, Hozza said. The construction projects are aimed at replacing the Route 145/MacArthur Road Bridge over Route 22 and new interchange ramps.

There have been bottlenecks in traffic movement the past weeks as work has accelerated in the area.

Adding to holiday traffic concerns is the bridge removal at the north end of MacArthur Road, from Eberhart and Mechanicsville roads past Municipal Drive.

The mayor said, however, most people living locally are aware of alternate routes to their destination, allowing them to bypass MacArthur Road.

The township will have a police presence at the Lehigh Valley Mall, at the mall's request, to manage crowds and traffic. The mall will pay the costs.

Grape Street has previously undergone an upgrade in traffic signalization to move vehicles entering and leaving stores and malls.

The township is not hiring additional police officers for the Christmas shopping season, with compensation being a factor, Hozza said.

The township is decked out for the holidays, from the lighted yule decorations on MacArthur Road to the lighted banner across the road near the Lehigh Valley Mall.

The recently opened Whitehall Area Chamber of Commerce offices near the mall should also attract holiday shoppers.

While Hozza doesn't want to assume the role of the Grinch, he said he prefers that stores open on Black Friday, rather than "Black Thursday Night" as he calls it, even though he understands the need to attract and compete for customers.