Staff | MRCDC
The McKees Rocks Community Development Corporation (MRCDC), in working with the Borough of McKees Rocks and other local partners, has been awarded a $750,000 Multimodal Transportation Fund grant through Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Finance Authority.
The grant will be put toward the initial phase of a reconstructed commercial main street along lower Chartiers Avenue as well as stormwater management infrastructure. Phase I is expected to cost $2.33 million to implement and MRCDC is exploring various sources to secure the remaining funding needed to initiate construction.
Rep. Dan Deasy and Sen. Wayne Fontana were instrumental in securing the initial funds for the project which is pivotal to the growth and revitalization of the downtown area and heart of McKees Rocks.
“We applaud the forward thinking and relentless work of our McKees Rocks Community Development Corporation and are proud to be working together with them to rebuild McKees Rocks. Stay tuned, things are about to rock in this community,” said George Riel, McKees Rocks council president.
Initial plans for the Chartiers Avenue corridor include a variety of streetscape elements, multi-modal transportation and green infrastructure improvements, including ADA-compliant sidewalks/crosswalks, curbing, bus lanes, pedestrian circulation, bike racks, infiltration cells, traffic signals, and new street lighting. The project provides for increased health and safety opportunities for pedestrians through the creation of a safe and walkable corridor from neighborhoods to employment opportunities, planned recreational facilities and public transportation as well as a more business friendly environment for our downtown retailers.
Targeted in phase I is the intersection of Chartiers Avenue, Linden Avenue and Furnace Street Ext., where reconstruction of the roadway, sidewalk replacements, and new crosswalks incorporating three modes of transportation: vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian are planned. The zone extends northwest along the first block of Chartiers and turns southwest down McDonalds Way to Furnace.
Later phases involve the reconstruction of additional segments of Chartiers Avenue, the portion of Furnace Street Extension behind the business district, the public space beside Chartiers Creek, and the public parking lot and alleys that span from the main street back to this area.
