By Bobby Cherry

Published: Wednesday, January 23, 2013, 9:00 p.m.
Updated: Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Leetsdale Council members likely won't be doing any work on Beaver Street, despite its deteriorating condition, or many of the roadways in the borough.

“There's no specific money budgeted at this time for roads,” Leetsdale Council President Joe McGurk said of the borough's more than $2 million budget approved last month. “We carried some money over if we want to do something.

“Maybe we won't be doing new roads, but we might be able to do some small repairs to roads.”

High costs associated with road repairs are keeping Leetsdale from making improvements McGurk said he and other council members would like to do.

“We're talking about maybe doing something on Broad Street — maybe some milling because it's not as heavily traveled as Beaver,” he said.

“Beaver Street, in particular — the base of Camp Meeting is in very bad condition,” McGurk said. “Beaver Street near Village Drive also is in bad shape.

“Beaver Street, because of all of the traffic on it — bus and truck included — probably would need significant improvements.”

Washington Street also is on the short list of roads considered for minor repairs, McGurk said. Its light use and concern from residents over the quality of the roadway increased council's consideration of making repairs, McGurk said.

“But those repairs to Washington Street would be minor,” McGurk said.

Leetsdale Council members earlier this month approved an 8.5-mill property tax rate, but left no money in the budget for road repairs. McGurk initially suggested a 6.7-mill rate with an additional 1.3 mills allocated for road reconstruction.

He later opted to drop the plan because of the uncertainty over the Allegheny County property reassessments, McGurk said.

“Our roads are getting worse and worse,” McGurk said. “There is no money coming. There's no grant money for road repair, and our roads are getting worse. The worse they get, the worse it's going to cost to repair them.”

Bobby Cherry is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-324-1408 orrcherry@tribweb.com.

1. Sewickley library exhibit celebrates the child inside grown men
2. Friends and strangers team up to save life of Cranberry man at Sewickley Heights park
3. Sewickley’s Sweetwater center to host film festival, film-making class for teens
4. Annual Nationality Days festival to be held Friday-Sunday in Ambridge
5. Kennywood school picnic fee benefits Quaker Valley activities
6. Sewickley area students get glimpse of state government
7. Sewickley veteran says placing flags a fitting way to honor fallen soldiers
8. Sewickley Valley primary results: Contested school board race, Leetsdale write-ins
9. Substitute teacher removed from Quaker Valley classroom
10. Pets set to take center stage in Sewickley
11. Full weekend of Memorial Day activities planned in Sewickley

There are currently no comments for this story.
Subscribe today! Click here for our subscription offers.