O’Hara to spend more than $1 million to pave 9 streets this year
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Nine O’Hara roads expected to be rebuilt this year as part of the township’s road paving program.
Council unanimously voted April 12 to award an estimated $1.284 million contract to Wampum-based Youngblood Paving. Engineer Charles Steinert said it was the lowest of four bidders, and it did paving in the township about four years ago.
“Youngblood did great work for us, and we’re happy to have them back,” he said.
The township budgeted about $1.185 million for road paving.
Steinert said the estimated $99,000 gap will be pulled from other parts of the general fund.
“We never do bonds for roads,” he said.
Roads on this year’s list include:
• Emily Drive
• Farmington Road
• Kappa Drive
• Papercraft Avenue
• Westchester Drive
• Westchester Place
• Glen Brook Drive
• West Marshall Drive
• Field Club Road from Powers Run East to the township line.
Steinert said roads are evaluated annually.
“It’s based on how much life is left in the street, and these ones are beyond that,” the engineer said. “These have been on the list for a couple years. They’re reviewed annually and make the list based on their current state of asphalt falling apart and cracks.”
The township usually budgets around $1 million annually for paving, and allocated more funds this year in the hopes of doing more roadwork to make up for pandemic delays.
Councilman George Stewart noted increased prices for fuel and other materials did not help.
“We’re not doing as much as we would like,” Stewart said. “The prices came in pretty high because of asphalt prices.”
He commended the engineer for keeping streets safe for pedestrians and motorists.
“Chuck evaluating roads leads up to when they’re supposed to be done,” Stewart said. “Everything falls into a rotation. We’ve been very successful (with road paving).”
The township is unable to do much road repair in the RIDC park this time around. Stewart said that area will be a focus next year.
O’Hara and Fox Chapel partner on road paving projects and seek joint bids to help get better pricing.
“We get the most bang for the buck,” Stewart said about the partnership.
Crews are expected to be working in both communities at the same tie.
Fox Chapel officials awarded its paving contract to Youngblood in mid-April. The borough plans to spend about $1.369 million to repair 10 streets.
Borough Manager Gary Koehler said this is the final year of Fox Chapel’s 15-year street rebuilding plan, and he expects to focus on less expensive road maintenance projects in the years to come.