Politics & Government

Work Begins on Bridgeville Streetscape

Crews cut down 28 trees Saturday morning to kickoff work on Route 50 improvements.

Bridgeville is finally moving forward with its streetscape project on Washington Avenue after two years of planning and preparation.

The most noticeable sign that the project is progressing happened Saturday morning when the borough’s public works department cut down 28 trees that were badly buckling the sidewalk along the main business district.

“It’s a public safety issue for us,” borough Manager Lori Collins said of the uneven sidewalks.

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The stumps will remain until contractors are hired to remove the roots and fill in the holes.

Collins said the next step is asking PennDOT for permission to partially close the road in the upcoming months to do more extensive work. If that request is approved, construction could begin as early as March.

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The borough plans to replace all of the sidewalks from Hickman Street to just before Bower Hill Road. A two-toned cement similar to sidewalks around the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh will be used to make the business district appear more appealing.

About 10 trees and other shrubbery will be installed in certain areas to add some greenery but prevent the sidewalks from cracking. The borough also plans to update the look of the bridge near Station Street with brick and decorative lighting.

“There are a lot of things that will be going on up there,” Collins said.

The bulk of the money will be coming from stimulus funds secured by Congressman Tim Murphy nearly two years ago. Collins said the borough was prepared to move forward with the project back then, but decided to briefly put the plans on hold upon learning it could receive more grant money.

Allegheny County Economic Development gave the borough $152,000 to go towards the streetscape project.


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