Tarentum marks First Avenue, other roads for summer paving

Tarentum Council is eyeing a whopping paving list this year expected to cost nearly $540,000 which will include First Avenue, one of the busiest streets in the borough.

A total of eight roads will be upgraded, with money coming from the borough’s capital fund and the liquid fuels account.

First Avenue will be completed as its own project. Work will target nearly the entire stretch of the road along the Allegheny River.

The bid is expected to come in under $400,000, about 20% less than council budgeted.

“It’s good,” Borough Manager Dwight Boddorf said. “Actually, it’s great. That never happens.”

Bids are expected to go out in the next three weeks.

Once awarded, work will be scheduled this summer.

Council will vote on a separate project that includes seven streets for a total of about $140,000.

They include:

• The 200 block of Walters Way for $24,500;

• The 400 block of Heuser Way for $17,800;

• Negley Street for $9,720;

• Wills Alley from Eighth to 10th avenues for $32,000;

• East Seventh Avenue from Corbet to Lock streets for $36,400;

• Hedge Alley from Constitution to Highland avenues for $20,000;

• Third Avenue from Bridge Street to the Brackenridge border for $11,920.

“We have a liquid fuels budget this year of about $260,000,” Boddorf said. “The funds can be used for paving and other items governed by state regulations.”

Work on the seven streets will depend on contractor availability and might last into fall, Boddorf said.