West View lands $1M in federal funds for Perry Highway revitalization

A revitalization project for West View’s main thoroughfare received a major financial boost when U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Aspinwall, announced a $1 million federal investment in the borough.

“West View came to me with a great project that supports streetscaping, that supports infrastructure improvements to make kids, families, folks with disabilities get around more safely,” Deluzio said during a May 28 visit. “And I think it will help these local businesses too.”

He greeted borough officials at the West View Municipal Building, presenting them with a ceremonial check before taking a walking tour of the area designated for revitalization, primarily along Perry Highway.

“We need good, strong infrastructure in business districts like this, things like expanding, rebuilding the volunteer fire department; safer crosswalks; spaces for community gatherings,” he said. “We’ve got to invest in these things: real, tangible things that can hold a community like West View together, street beautification and things that we call count on and enjoy.”

The money for West View is part of a larger list of federal investments that Deluzio submitted to the House Appropriations Committee, resulting in $15.5 million for 15 projects in his district.

The West View Downtown Revitalization Plan — formulated by the borough in conjunction with Downtown Redevelopment Services of Ravenna, Ohio, and engineering firm Herbert, Rowland & Grubic Inc., based regionally in Cranberry — involves .71 miles along Perry Highway and around the corner Center Avenue, where some work already has taken place.

Further improvements include wider sidewalks, buffered bike lanes and improved crosswalks, including a safer connection across Perry to West View Elementary School, plus meeting criteria for Americans With Disabilities Act accessibility.

Renovations to West View Volunteer Fire Department’s Station 3, just to the north of the municipal building, represent another component of the federal investment.

According to information provided by Downtown Redevelopment Services, the project’s estimated price tag is nearly $2.4 million, including a contingency budget for extra costs incurred during construction.

In addition to the federal money, West View received $500,000 from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development’s Multimodal Transportation Fund, and the borough is committed to a 30% match for the overall project

A timeline from Downtown Redevelopment Services calls for bidding the project in August, starting construction the following month and completing the revitalization in June 2025.

During his visit, Deluzio congratulated West View Mayor J.R. Henry on his retirement as executive director of Valley Ambulance Authority in Moon, along with his decades of service to his hometown. Henry was elected to borough council in 1988 and appointed mayor in 2006, and he is a longtime West View VFD member.

“This community is better off thanks to all that you’ve given to it,” Deluzio said. “I’m very grateful for your commitment to the common good in this place we call home.”