Sharpsburg invites public to weigh in on 19th Street transformation

Sharpsburg Mayor Kayla Portis hopes a project to transform 19th Street will highlight inclusivity and accessibility for all.

The borough is hosting a meeting Dec. 3 to gather input on a sweeping improvement plan expected next year. It will see the redevelopment of 19th Street as an access point to Allegheny Shores, an impending mixed-use project that stretches 1.5 miles along the riverfront.

Sharpsburg in 2018 landed a $1.5 million grant from PennDOT to reconstruct the road and tunnel, add lighting and art, and boost safety. The grant was made available through the state’s Multimodal Transportation Fund.

“Community participation is so important,” Portis said. “Hopefully, residents will let their voices be heard. I am looking forward to the improvements to ensure sustainability for generations to come.”

Borough Manager Christine DeRunk said work is expected to begin next year.

The streetscape project has yet to be designed but will hinge on input from residents regarding light fixtures, bus stops, benches, trees and more.

“We know there will be lighting, but we haven’t picked the fixtures,” DeRunk said. “We know there will be art, but we don’t what yet. We hope the public will come and comment on all of the things that will go into the project.”

Allegheny Shores, led by developer Mosites Co., is a reclamation of a 52-acre brownfield that for decades operated as a scrap yard. It is expected to include commercial uses and housing, and reconnect residents to the riverfront.

There is no timeline for completion of the 19th Street work. It will depend on timing with utilities and PennDOT, among other agencies.

It hasn’t been determined yet whether traffic will be rerouted or limited to one lane.

Councilman Jon Jaso said the 19th Street transformation is a step toward highlighting “a part of the borough that sometimes seems neglected.”

“I look forward to seeing this get moved along,” Jaso said.

DeRunk said it is the hope of borough officials to one day continue the project down Main Street and link with the commercial corridor.

“We want it to be one big, long streetscape,” she said.