Harrison raises concerns over maintenance agreement for Springhill Road project

Harrison officials want to talk with Allegheny County representatives about their concerns over a maintenance agreement for a pedestrian and bicycle path the county will build along Springhill Road.

Township Manager Rich Hill said the township wants to define and refine what the township’s responsibilities for the path will be to ensure that the county and township are on the same page. He said there are legal issues along with maintenance questions.

Hill said he could not discuss specifics.

County representatives had been expected to be at the township commissioner’s meeting on Monday to answer questions about the proposed maintenance agreement, which the county is asking the township to sign. But Hill asked them to not attend, said Brent Wasko, spokesman for the county’s Department of Public Works.

Hill “told us that he, township Solicitor Emily Mueller and some of the commissioners have questions specifically about the proposed maintenance agreement that they would like addressed before it is added to the agenda and we attend a meeting,” Wasko said. “We have begun working to provide them with answers to their questions.”

Commissioners will have to vote in public on the agreement.

Harrison Commissioner William Heasley has said the township has concerns about the agreement, which, according to the county, would require Harrison to provide inspection and maintenance services to ensure the safe and unobstructed use of the path.

Heasley previously said the agreement raises questions about the township’s liability for the path.

Wasko said Harrison commissioners had previously shown support for the project, and had committed to maintaining the path if the county was successful in getting funding for it.

Wasko said the county does not anticipate the discussions over the maintenance agreement to impact the $1.3 million project’s schedule. He previously said the county anticipated awarding a contract this fall, with work starting in late winter or early spring and being finished next summer.

The project is being partially paid for with a $642,000 federal grant. There is no cost to Harrison.