Aspinwall council to consider more than $2 million in traffic upgrades

Aspinwall council will consider more than $2 million in traffic upgrades along Freeport Road that include increased parking, safer crosswalks and a directional change along Eastern Avenue.

Council heard from consultants, TranSystems, during its March agenda meeting about a plan to improve safety for pedestrians and bikers, as well as those who ride Port Authority buses.

A final proposal will likely be presented in April, Manager Melissa Lang-O’Malley said.

The plan was derived from a 2019 TranSystems study, paid for by a grant of nearly $13,000 from Allegheny County.

Council President Tim McLaughlin said a walk-through of the borough’s Freeport Road corridor showed an exhaustive list of areas for improvement.

The challenge has been how to prioritize the ideas, he said.

“What are the things that are most economical, and how do we make them happen?” McLaughlin said. “I didn’t want to wait until the money was available for the major improvements but rather, do the things that are available in the short term and that would not cost a whole lot.”

TranSystems representatives Brian Krul and Todd Libengood said the safety proposal is split into three topics: sidewalks, intersections and the traffic corridor.

Mitigation efforts could include a marked bike trail, intersection upgrades and traffic calming measures.

Libengood said implementation of a bike path through the borough could begin this year. The path would follow Delafield Road to 2^nd Street, to Brilliant Avenue and on to Aspinwall Riverfront Park. A link to the Three Rivers Heritage Trail and beyond would connect residents with regional amenities.

As proposed, the bike path would be mostly an on-road path, separated by pavement markings.

Mayor Joe Noro said the route could not be placed along one-way streets against the flow of traffic.

“It would be too unsafe,” Noro said.

Other short-term fixes might include improving bus shelters and installing way-finding signs.

Total costs for the initial phase of the plan would be up to $100,000.

A Phase 2 study in 2022 might include the redirection of Eastern Avenue, where traffic flows onto Freeport Road and which is considered a hazard.

The study would also look at reconfiguration of the municipal parking lot, where vehicles pull out onto Freeport Road at multiple points.

“We would make it one entrance, a defined area where people are pulling out,” Libengood said.

Longer-range plans could include work to improve the Brilliant Avenue intersection and the entrance to Aspinwall Riverfront Park.