Murrysville lays out $4 million in capital projects for next year

Murrysville will spend about $4 million next year on capital improvement projects, including about $500,000 in park improvements.

The figures were presented during a public hearing for Murrysville’s four-year capital improvement program, a rough road map of larger-scale projects and expenditures between 2024 and 2028.

In the short and long term, the majority of money will be put toward streets through the municipality’s annual overlay program, to the tune of $1.5 million next year and nearly $9 million over the next four years.

Those figures do not include major overhauls to the Logans Ferry, Cal-Ken and Heather Highlands bridges. Work related to those projects is estimated at a little over $4 million over the next four years.

Municipal officials are hoping to secure state grant funding to the tune of about $2.6 million to cover some of the bridge projects’ cost.

“Since the grant program takes a while to get through the process and get approval, we’re doing what we can to keep the bridges in order,” said Jacie Milchak, Murrysville’s finance director.

PennDOT performs regular assessments on the bridges.

“The assessments indicate that there’s an ongoing need,” Murrysville Chief Administrator Michael Nestico said. “So we’re doing what we can. And in the meantime, we’re looking for a source of funding whether it’s through TIP or somewhere else. But we’re monitoring reports on the bridges and making sure they stay in working condition.”

Ongoing bridge repairs cost the municipality between $50,000 and $75,000 per year, Milchak said.

Parks projects

Public work crews are continuing to rotate improvements among Murrysville’s neighborhood parks, responding to feedback from residents and replacing outdated equipment when necessary.

For 2024, there is $465,000 in work planned. Duff Park would see construction of an enlarged parking area, a retaining wall around the parking lot and a restroom near the entrance.

Pavilion and gazebo repairs will take place in Townsend Park along with road work on the entrance and interior road. There also is $17,000 in general improvements through Boy Scout projects, general maintenance and trail work, but that money will come from the budget’s general fund instead of the capital reserve.

Other expenditures

Sizable outlays planned for next year include:

• Replacing three police vehicles, part of a group of 13 that will be replaced over the next four years at a cost of about $950,000.

• About $80,000 to upgrade and replace computers running Windows 10, which will become obsolete soon, as well as upgrade the municipality’s phone system.

“We’re looking into a VOIP, Internet-based phone system,” Nestico said. “We think that will help solve some of the issues and network problems we’ve had.”

• In addition to the road overlay program, Murrysville will spend about $235,000 on road surface treatments. Overall, 64% of the 2024 capital budget will go toward street and infrastructure projects.