Pittsburgh receives foundation grant for purchase of specialized street sweeper

The Richard King Mellon Foundation is giving Pittsburgh $187,000 to purchase a specialized street sweeper for the maintenance of stormwater-absorbing pavement.

Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday authorized acceptance of the foundation grant.

The money will be used to purchase the sweeper that will initially be used for cleaning a bicycle and pedestrian trail and other surfaces at Hazelwood Green along the Monongahela River, according to Councilman Corey O’Connor.

O’Connor, who represents the city’s Hazelwood neighborhood, said the equipment is needed as the city installs more green infrastructure to keep rainfall out of the sewer system. Porous or permeable pavement allows stormwater to percolate through to the ground or a holding tank rather than flowing into the stormwater system.

The pavement becomes clogged over time by silt and other fine debris that the street sweeper will remove.

“I’ve been asking to purchase this type of equipment for years,” O’Connor said. “When you look at not only Hazelwood Green, but other areas where we’re putting in permeable sidewalks and green infrastructure all over, we need this type of equipment.”

The foundation did not respond to a request for comment.

The Hazelwood Trail is a 1.9 mile bicycle and pedestrian path through Hazelwood Green and serves as a connection to the Eliza Furnace, Three Rivers Heritage and Great Allegheny Passage trails.

Porous pavement is a key element in controlling stormwater runoff at the former LTV steel mill property owned by Almono LP, consisting of the Richard King Mellon and Benedum foundations and The Heinz Endowments.

“Obviously, we’ll be able to use the sweeper anywhere we want,” O’Connor said. “I think it should go everywhere we have permeable sidewalks.”