Latrobe eyes upgrade of curbs to improve accessibility on Jefferson Street
Latrobe plans to improve accessibility to sidewalks along a two-block section of Jefferson Street, between Weldon and Chestnut streets.
City council is seeking bids to upgrade 17 curb ramps to meet current federal standards.
City manager Terry Carcella said the curb improvements would continue upgrades at other downtown intersections — including Jefferson and Main streets — that were part of a $3.4 million PennDOT project.
According to Carcella, the new curb work is estimated to cost about $159,000 and will be supported by $145,000 in federal funds.
In-kind services by the city will help to cover some of the project cost, he said.
Separate bids will be sought for demolition of the existing curbs and for construction of the new ones. Carcella said that will give the city flexibility in determining if its own public works crews can perform some of the work at a lower cost than by hiring an outside contractor.
“This way, public works would be able to do some of this work, and our money will go a little further,” said public works director Scott Wajdic, ”We wanted to see which one we could do the most good in and save the most money.”
The project also includes replacement or relocation of some stormwater inlets.
Jeff Himler is a TribLive reporter covering Greater Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant Area and Derry Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on transportation issues. A journalist for more than three decades, he enjoys delving into local history. He can be reached at jhimler@triblive.com.
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