O’Hara officials seek $1.775 million in various grants for capital improvements
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O’Hara officials hope to bolster the township’s capital improvement efforts by acquiring state grants.
Council recently voted to seek five grants for a combined $1.775 million from the Gaming Economic Development Tourism Fund through the Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County.
The money would help help cover the cost of five projects.
Retaining wall
The largest request is $500,000 to replace gabion basket retaining wall in the community park with soldier pile and concrete lagging. Soldier pile and lagging involves H-shaped steel beams typically drilled deep into the ground.
Township engineer Charles Steinert the wall was originally constructed in 2006. Its replacement is for maintenance and is not an emergency repair.
“There’s no hazard to anybody right now,” he said. “The wall right now is stable. It’s not going anywhere. This wall is below the park. So, this would help the residents along Fox Chapel Road. It could help prevent flooding.”
Gabion baskets are galvanized steel, double twisted, woven wire mesh filled with stone used for retaining walls, slope paving, stream bank protection and other purposes.
The project is grant-dependent and may be bid in the spring, but acquiring various permits, including state Department of Environmental Protection approval, may push construction to 2024.
Alpha Drive
Another grant request is for $150,000 for an Alpha Drive storm water management project to reduce downstream flooding.
It involves the modification of an existing retention pond to hold back more storm water for a longer period of time. The project was identified through a watershed study years ago.
“This is one of those dream projects that we look at that could help downstream flooding,” the engineer said.
Powers Run Road
O’Hara seeks a $300,000 grant for a Powers Run Road sanitary sewer project.
Steinert said the project would relocate an estimated 550-foot, 12-inch sanitary sewer line that comes down the valley from one side of the stream to the other side of the stream.
The township got a $100,000 grant through the redevelopment authority two years ago for the line relocation.
The township also plans to spend about $400,000 in township funds for storm water management and stream bank restoration at the site.
Other grants
Other grant requests include $450,000 to replace the retaining wall along Mary Street behind the Pleasant Valley Volunteer Fire Department, and $375,000 for Woodland Park storm water improvements.
Steinert said the 100-foot-long retaining wall is rusting and would be replaced with soldier pile and lagging. Council is expected to move forward on this project next year regardless of grant funding.
“This one’s getting to the point to where it is an at-risk situation,” Steinert said. “Any time we can supplement the funding for a wall from a grant source, it greatly expands the number of projects we can complete in any given year.”
Steinert said redevelopment authority officials may take 30 to 60 days to review the applications and award funds. Each grant requires a 20% township match. Grant applications were due Sept. 23.
Township manager Julie Jakubec said O’Hara’s capital improvement budget is about $4.165 million, which would be used to supply the match.
“This will be presented to council for their review,” Jakubec said about the capital projects. “They may add, delete or move capital expenditures to another year. The capital budget is a 10-year plan.”