Fox Chapel officials are gearing up for a busy spring, eyeing an expected $1.2 million in road paving and nearly $600,000 in improvements for the public works department, police and municipal office.
Council is targeting nine roads throughout the borough in this year’s improvement program.
They include St. James Place from Windsor Road to Valley Drive, East Waldheim Road from Delafield Road to Alpine Circle, The Maples between Delafield and East Waldheim roads and Longfellow Road from Guyasuta to the cul-de-sac.
Plans also include Buckingham Road between Guyasuta and Hunt roads, Shannon Drive from Fairview Road to the cul-de-sac, Springhouse Lane from Fox Chapel Road to the cul-de-sac, Glenhaven Lane from Field Club Road to Springhouse Lane, and a portion of Riding Meadow Road.
Manager Gary Koehler said a more definitive plan will be revealed when winter winds down and all the roads can be reviewed.
Council OK’d a list of upgrades for the public works department, including three dump trucks and a new leaf machine. One of the trucks is a carry-over from last year when it was scheduled to be purchased but was unavailable. Public works expenses total about $488,000.
Koehler said the borough building will get a new boiler for $20,000 and the police department will have two new vehicles, along with cameras in-car and for the officers to wear on their bodies.
Councilwoman Mandy Steele said she supports the camera purchases wholeheartedly.
“I’m thrilled that the police force finally has these tools available to them,” Steele said. “Our officers highly value transparency in their interactions with the public.”
Steele credited police Chief Michael Stevens for pursuing the camera initiative and seeing it through.
“It’s another step in the right direction by the Fox Chapel police,” she said. “We continue to see good things coming out of this department.”
Council budgeted $90,000 for the two police vehicles and $57,500 for the safety cameras.
