Two public parking garages and a Light Rail Transit station in Mt. Lebanon are going to get an $830,000 facelift.
The commissioners have awarded a contract to Mariani & Richards Inc. of Pittsburgh, the low bidder, for improvements to the North and South garages on Washington Road and the Mt. Lebanon LRT station.
The projects mark the fourth and final phase of a five-year capital improvement plan.
The work includes structural and facade improvements to both garages, repainting, cleaning and replacement of hand rails. Planned for the LRT station are renovations to a pedestrian walkway and various maintenance and repairs.
Commissioners also awarded an $85,500 contract to Michael Facchiano Contracting Inc. of Waynesburg for road resurfacing on Seneca Street and a parking lot in Main Park.
The Mt. Lebanon School District will share the cost of resurfacing the Main Park lot as part of a shared parking agreement with the municipality.
Also, commissioners are aiming for Mt. Lebanon to be the third municipality in the state to be recognized with a new designation as a “Walk Friendly Community.”
Administered by the U.S. Transportation Department, the program recognizes communities that show a commitment to improving “walkability” and pedestrian safety through comprehensive programs, plans and policies.
The program looks for statistics on pedestrian/vehicle accidents, sidewalk and crosswalk design, accessibility and other factors.
The program has four award levels: platinum, which only the city of Seattle has achieved, and gold, silver and bronze.
Fifty-eight communities nationwide have earned certification as a Walk Friendly Community. In Pennsylvania, Philadelphia has been recognized with a gold award and Indiana has achieved a bronze designation.
Municipal planner Ian McMeans said he has begun the application process. Awards will be announced in spring 2017.
Mr. McMeans said he hoped to complement the application with some of the initiatives recently launched by the municipality, including the “Look UP, Lebo!” campaign approved in February to increase pedestrian awareness and safety through penalties and fines aimed at pedestrians who don’t use marked crosswalks when crossing the street.
“We’re already doing a lot of the things that are required for certification,” he said.
Janice Crompton: jcrompton@post-gazette.com.
First Published: July 15, 2016, 4:00 a.m.