Oakmont to relaunch pedestrian safety committee; volunteers wanted

Oakmont officials plan to restore the borough’s pedestrian safety committee.

Councilman John Arnold announced the intent to relaunch the volunteer group at a May 15 meeting. He said the deplorable condition of borough sidewalks is the main reason he wants more people involved in finding possible solutions and grants for pedestrian projects.

“I think anyone who walks recognizes that we’ve got a lot of bad sidewalks,” he said. “I know from personal experience that they are trip-and-fall hazards that could generate lawsuits, certainly have generated injuries.

“It’s something that has to be addressed, especially in light of the fact that we like to say, ‘It’s a walking community.’ A pedestrian plan has been a large part of our comprehensive plan.”

The committee has been dormant for years. It was formed in 2018 shortly after the borough approved a comprehensive plan to make the borough more walker friendly.

It was spearheaded by Carol Moore, the former assistant borough manager, and championed by then-council member Carrie Lewis DelRosso, later a state representative and candidate for lieutenant governor.

DelRosso said she is excited about the committee’s impending return.

“In 2020, as chair of the Oakmont pedestrian committee, we focused on Oakmont’s pedestrian safety for the Oakmont community,” she said via email. “Oakmont provides walkability in Allegheny County, but also is a major connecting route to the upper Allegheny Valley and Plum. People live in Oakmont to take advantage of our plethora of fantastic restaurants as well as the Oakmont business district.

“The only way we sustain pedestrian safety is by advocating for ongoing maintenance of our streets and walkways. It’s delightful to know Oakmont is back to organizing a pedestrian committee since my departure on Oakmont Council to work on pedestrian upgrades and signage. People travel to Oakmont to walk the Arboretum Trail, which is a nice flat route connecting Allegheny River Boulevard and Allegheny Avenue to the shops and restaurants.”

Arnold, who also served on the pedestrian committee, said its activity stopped in early 2021.

“It just sort of died,” Arnold said. “There was no formal action to get rid of it, but some members got busy with other things and season went from summer to winter. It just sort of died on the vine, and a new council came in and nobody picked it up. It wasn’t something deliberate. It just wasn’t a first priority.”

Arnold said he welcomes new members and hopes to get a lot of participation. There is no deadline to sign up for the committee.

Letters of interest can be sent to the borough office, 767 Fifth St. For more information, call 412-828-3232.