Lidl, a major German-based grocery store chain with 10,000 markets in Europe, is expected to break ground for its store at 2845 MacArthur Road by late summer. Opening is set for later this year or in the early months of 2018.

Whitehall Township commissioners, at their Feb. 13 meeting, unanimously adopted a resolution giving Lidl conditional approval for the project, a 37,000-square-foot store.

They expressed excitement with the development project and its timing with this year’s 75th anniversary of MacArthur Road.

Township Engineer Frank Clark said a few items must still be addressed by Lidl and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).

Lidl will spend $300,000 for road improvements - such as a four-way intersection at Eberhart Road and Seventh Street - and the redesign and move of the Eberhart and MacArthur roads intersection 12 to 15 feet south.

Also planned are two left-turn lanes from Eberhart Road onto MacArthur Road southbound and another lane to proceed straight to St. John’s United Church of Christ, Mickleys, or right onto northbound MacArthur Road.

Clark said talks with St. John’s UCC personnel are ongoing, and no problems are contemplated.

The township planning commission gave its conditional approval of recommendation for the Lidl store Aug. 16, 2016, after which the grocery store’s engineers and company representatives then dealt with a myriad of matters in order to receive township and PennDOT signoffs.

Township Mayor Edward D. Hozza Jr. said he credits Jack Gilboy and Lidl for bringing the project to fruition.

“I have to say thanks to Jack,” Hozza said, explaining the Lidl store will be built on a Gilboy Auto Sales tract.