State College motorists will need to rethink their route around town from now until Nov. 12.

At its meeting on Monday, the State College Borough Council voted to permit the closing of part of Allen Street to give Leonard S. Fiore Inc. room to work on the construction of the Schlow Memorial Library, to be located at 100 E. Beaver Ave.

Allen Street will be closed to motorists from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. every day, between Highland Alley and Foster Avenue.

Several council members expressed concern about the effect the closing would have on businesses located along Allen Street.

Originally, Fiore requested street closure until 4 p.m., but the company compromised with businesses for the 1 p.m. deadline, Teresa Sparacino, Downtown Improvement District executive director, said.

Construction on the library will require about 18 deliveries each day and would result in about a 15-minute delay for each delivery if the road remained open, Public Works Director Mark Whitfield said.

However, Whitfield said sidewalks near the construction site would be open "most of the time."

During the delivery period, construction also has the potential to cause delays on Beaver Avenue, Whitfield said.

Two exceptions to the street closing are Friday, for Homecoming festivities, and Veteran's Day, Nov. 11.

Sparacino said the closure must be complete before Thanksgiving to avoid interference with holiday traffic.

In a separate decision, the council also committed $2,500 to a rail trail feasibility study, which will determine if a 13-mile bike trail connecting State College and Bellefonte would be a feasible option.

The borough is a funding partner for the study, which is expected to cost $108,000.

The Bellefonte Central Rail Trail Task Force asked the borough for financial support.

Fifty percent of the study will be funded through a Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Growing Greener grant.

Council member Jeff Kern said the rail trail was proposed 20 years ago but did not receive support from Penn State or adjacent property owners.

The feasibility study would be a waste of time if the university and property owners have not changed positions, he said.

Connecting State College to Bellefonte is "a brilliant idea," but the success of the project depends on other funding partners, council member Janet Knauer said.

"$2,500 doesn't sound like a lot of money, but when it's for nothing, it's too much money," she said.

Whitfield said the study will provide information on what structures or other costs are needed for the project.

"I don't think it will come back and say it's not feasible," he said.