A city consultant is recommending approval of a traffic light at the entrance to the proposed North Shore casino, a decision that removes a major stumbling block in negotiations between slots developer Don Barden and the Carnegie Science Center.

Damon Rhodes, senior project engineer for Wilbur Smith Associates, said today he is expecting the city to accept his recommendation to install the light, a key component of a plan to continue to provide school bus access to the science center once the Majestic Star casino is built next door.

"There are still some T's to be crossed and some I's to be dotted but it will be approved," Mr. Rhodes said.

The science center wanted the light installed as part of a list of demands it had given Mr. Barden during the master plan approval process for the casino. It has threatened to appeal the city planning commission's approval of the master plan to the state Supreme Court unless it gets agreement with Mr. Barden on its demands by Thursday.

Neither city nor science center officials could not be immediately reached for comment.

Bob Oltmanns, a spokesman for Mr. Barden and his company, PITG Gaming LLC, called the recommendation on the traffic light a "helpful development in getting the outstanding issues resolved between Majestic Star and the science center." The casino also wanted the light installed but couldn't guarantee it because of the required city approval.

Still to be resolved are issues related to the impact of casino lighting on the science center observatory and the vacating of Sproat Way.

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.