Apollo church agrees to chip in $33,000 for sidewalk curb cut and ramp project

A rare church-municipal partnership is brewing in Apollo.

Borough council Thursday night gave the OK to a resolution in which First Evangelical Lutheran Church of North Third Street will provide $33,000 in matching funds to a project where the street and church parking lot will be expanded on Lutheran Church Lane.

The borough’s share will be $134,000, provided by the state multimodal grant program. It’s all part of the borough’s application for nearly $1 million worth of projects.

Another facet of the church project will be to improve the loading area for the Apollo area’s Meals on Wheels program and other church events.

Meals on Wheels volunteers have to lift a cart over the curb to load a vehicle with meals to the elderly. Supplies going into the church area also are impacted.

A new ramp would leave a 1-inch curb cut and a smoother ramp to the church door in a 385-square-foot area compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

“This project is very important for the people in our community, and it alleviates what now is a broken curb area,” said William Kerr, former Apollo mayor and church member.

The street’s right of way also will be widened, and the nearby West-In-Arms apartment building for disabled residents will chip in $7,000 toward the endeavor.

The borough should get an answer to its request by November, according to borough engineer Richard Craft.

Other projects

Apollo also is seeking funding from the federal Community Development Block Grant program, funneled through Armstrong County, for a variety of infrastructure projects.

Street revitalization is planned for North Fourth, North Seventh and North Ninth streets.

All three streets would be widened and repaved. Additional parking spots would have pervious asphalt to alleviate some stormwater from inlets and to help the borough comply with upcoming state “MS4” anti-water pollution standards that will take effect in 2023.

All three streets will eventually be one-way arteries. Officials haven’t decided the format of the one-way streets.

Plans are to add 33 parking spaces on North Seventh between North Warren and Woodward avenues and 12 parking spaces on North Ninth between North Warren and Woodward.

Officials also are seeking $110,000 for handicap ramps at certain intersections.

Funding grants are to be determined in September or October.

Bridge replacement

A bridge along Route 66 near 11th Street will be replaced starting in December.

PennDOT needs to relocate a sanitary sewer line and a street light at the intersection and adjust the tops of two manholes before the bridge replacement begins.

The state will video-survey the sanitary and storm sewers before and after construction.

Any traffic restrictions or work schedules will be announced later.