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You've heard the story about Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody? You know, Everybody thought it was Somebody's job, Anybody could have done it, and Nobody did it.
Everybody --- or at least three local governmental bodies --- shares responsibility for the approach ramps to the W.D. Mansfield Memorial Bridge, but City Administrator Dennis Pittman acknowledges that Nobody's been taking care of them.
A light-pole knocked down in a traffic accident a year ago is still in the middle of the sidewalk; a directional sign at the end of the bridge has fallen over; dirt and debris has collected in the gutters.
That's going to change, Pittman tells the Almanac.
"You're not the only one who sees it --- I see it every day, you see it every day," Pittman says. "It's a portal to the city ... I will guarantee that the kids on our summer crew will clean it up this summer, but that's a band-aid approach, and I don't want a band-aid."
. . .
His remarks came in response to questions from the Almanac about a letter to the editor in Tuesday night's Daily News.
The letter from 10th Ward resident Terri Gorick asked the city to do something about the "blight" along West Fifth Avenue, one of the main entrances to McKeesport from West Mifflin and Pittsburgh.
PennDOT traffic studies completed in 2006 indicate that about 13,000 people use the Mansfield Bridge daily, while about 19,000 people daily use at least part of West Fifth Avenue.
"Keep pushing to make McKeesport 'the place to rebuild,' but first, how about fixing the disgusting sight coming off of the W.D. Mansfield Memorial Bridge --- a major artery into our town," Gorick wrote.
"Signs falling down, major, major potholes and trolley tracks showing through the streets," she continued. "Trolley tracks --- please!"
Gorick's phone number is unlisted and attempts by the Almanac to reach her were not successful.
. . .
The Mansfield Bridge, which is maintained by the county, is a four-lane structure built in 1949 and 1951 that connects the city and Glassport with Dravosburg.
It's slated for a complete makeover in 2009, including new deck, repairs to the superstructure and paint.
The county in November 2005 retained the engineering firm Michael Baker Jr. Co. to oversee the work, estimated to cost $25 million.
But responsibility for the approach ramps is shared by Glassport and the city, says Joe Olczak, Allegheny County director of public works.
"According to the (state Public Utility Commission) the sidewalks, railings, light poles and the ramps would be maintained by McKeesport," he tells the Almanac in an email.
Olczak says he will ask the city about replacement of the light pole.
Pittman says city crews have temporarily filled potholes on the approach ramps, and he vows to talk with Twin Rivers Council of Government and the South Hills Area Council of Government about sweeping the ramps on a monthly basis.
McKeesport and Glassport are members of the Twin Rivers COG, while Dravosburg belongs to SHACOG. Both COGs operate street-sweeping equipment.
"Maybe we need to split the duties between the COGs," Pittman says. "Maybe we trade off months. Maybe Twin Rivers does it one month, and South Hills does it the next month, and the county puts in (some money) ... maybe no one has ever thought about it, and if (Gorick) has triggered it, she deserves a pat on the back."
. . .
Repaving West Fifth Avenue is a stickier problem. The street was last repaved in 1998.
A preliminary estimate put the cost of laying new blacktop at $750,000, Pittman says.
That's three times the city's annual paving budget. Pulling out the trolley tracks --- which have been unused since 1963 --- would add another half-million dollars to the project.
"There is a sincere effort underway to address it," Pittman says. "We've looked at it, and (state) Rep. Bill Kortz and (state) Sen. Sean Logan are looking at it."
The city's hope is that some agency --- such as the state --- will provide money to help underwrite the cost of the repairs.
West Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare used by city residents as well as people who live in Port Vue, Glassport and Liberty. But there is no interest from the county or state in taking over responsibility for the road, Pittman says.
"Believe me, we've tried to give it away," he says.
The city's best hope is that planning for the reconstruction of West Fifth Avenue will begin later this year, and that repaving will get underway next spring, Pittman says, though he notes a new crop of potholes will have grown by then.
"We've patched the potholes already and we're going to get the potholes patched," he says. "By then, the screaming (for repaving the street) will be louder, but a solution will be in sight."
I hope that when west 5th Ave and the Mansfield Bridge is repaved they use concrete instead of asphalt that breaks up after two winters.
The Dude - May 22, 2008
Jason,
Nice post. It’s just apalling. We can’t manage to get ANY federal or state funds kicked in for this vital gateway into McKeesport (from ANY administration or a Congress & state legislature controlled by either party) while all of them have managed to stuff BILLIONS of dollars in pork barrel projects into various bills over the years. I’m thinking about the TOTAL BS grants for honeybee research in FRANCE, Gov. Spendell handing out tens of thousands of dollars in state give-aways (during election season of course) etc. Yet again, another fine example of the mediocrity of public servants. We can’t really blame this situation on anyone else.
Imagine, how could ANY real estate agent even get a prospective buyer for the old bank building into town to look at the building without driving down a road that makes the Ho Chin Minh Trail look like a modern super highway? And how about that 1 “super business” that we need to lure to McKeesport to kick off the come back? I’m guessing they’ll just do a flyover of their prospective new business locale.
Nope, driving across that bridge and down that street screams loud and clear to any prospective home owner or business owner “this place is in almost unstoppable decay.” All the platitudes in the world won’t change that unmistakeable message.
Bulldog - May 22, 2008
Missed you at the love fest for the Mon-Fayette last night, Jason. Apparently — I didn’t know this — crumbling infrastructure that we can’t afford to fix can be solved by building fancy new infrastructure that we can’t afford to maintain.
Andrea (URL) - May 22, 2008
Andrea, according to the editorial I read in the paper a few nights ago, your opinion doesn’t matter because you’re a “Pittsburgh environmentalist.” ;-)
I had a work engagement last night, so I couldn’t attend, but unfortunately I had a feeling I had heard all of the arguments before.
Webmaster - May 22, 2008
I think it’s ironic that the area is in a mass-transit crisis, and the trolley tracks refuse to stay under the pavement. What would be so bad about uncovering them and running the trolley again?
I’ll honestly admit to not knowing much about where the tracks lie other than along that stretch, and the technology involved, but I think it’s idiotic to ignore one of the few pieces of old infrastructure that’s STILL here and could be usable.
John - May 22, 2008
Jason,
It was interesting how the Daily News ran with a year old opinion of mine, written in frustration, as the premise for their editorial. It would have been nice to have been called and questioned.
Andrea has been wroking on me over that same time frame to get me to see the other side of the story. She brought to my attention the white paper written that questions the benefits of the MFE: http://www.pennfuture.org/UserFiles/monfayettereportdismalb_42402.pdf
I believe that we face some very serious infrastructure problems in the Mon Valley that have been left unattended for years.
Your readers are absolutely right about the depolrable condition of West Fifth and the Mansfield Bridge.
I’m interested into hearing what you and your readers believe are solutions to our decaying and outdated infrastructure.
Councilman Shelly
Paul "Sluggo" Shellly (URL) - May 23, 2008
> I’m interested into hearing what you and your readers believe
> are solutions to our decaying and outdated infrastructure.
I don’t mean this to sound sarcastic, councilor, but really, in a representative government we elect officials to come up with those kinds of solutions … or to hire the experts who can come up with those solutions.
I have a BA in professional (technical) writing. I’m not a civil engineer or an urban planner.
I think the frustration you hear from people opposed to the MFX (or lukewarm to the MFX) is mainly two-fold:
1.) We’ve been hearing about this highway for 40 years, and are no closer to finding a way to pay for it; and
2.) We’re wondering if the energy (and money) spent promoting and planning the MFX for the past 40 years could have been put toward more practical projects.
If the state can raise $3 billion to complete the MFX — and I’m not sure it can — couldn’t it raise $3 billion to correct the combined-sewer overflow problems in Pennsylvania?
Couldn’t we raise $3 billion to rehab and replace bridges? Etc.
The other thing is, I look at our decaying infrastructure and wonder what the MFX — if it’s built — is going to look like 20 years later.
Webmaster - May 23, 2008
Ugh..
1. Look sewers and roads ain’t sexy…nothing grabs the headlines like ‘Pittsburgh sewer repair marches on!’
2. Representation government is a joke in PA (& USA). Seriously folks you care more about your cable bills going up than the roads/sewers crumbling under you (until it happens…then holy crap!).
3. MFX is a white elephant…but I can guarantee you that somebody’s relative is going to have a sweet job standing in a toll both collecting money on the taxpayer dime.
4. Somebody with connections wants the MFX built. Labor Unions, landowners, speculators…you name it. Politicians are doing the bidding of somebody…probably not you if you have the $$$$$
Hey Kent Brockman said it best: I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: democracy just doesn’t work.
PPL - May 23, 2008
Jason,
Likewise, I’m not a civil engineer either. That’s why I do consult with experts. I’ve studied Penn Future’s plan and do se some value there. I would hope that their plan and some version of the Mon Fayette are not mutually exclusive.
One never knows who may be among your readers. Good ideas come from many sources. I see more of a problem with politicians who think they have all the answers and don’t seek other opinions.
I understand your position about monies that could have/ should have gone to other needed projects. The bottom line is that our government (local/state/federal) hasn’t figured out how to fund either.
Government is in need of substantial reform. Too often dollars are wasted on pork or pet projects and we forget to take care of the neccesities. Nobody ever got re-elected just for providing the basics. They want to put their names on high visibility projects. Not saying that is right, just what I have witnessed evidence of. Many elected officials are more concerned with being elected than doing the day to day operations that their constituents depend on them for.
It seems that our portion of the state has been neglected for quite some time. I don’t pretend to know all the reasons for that. We don’t have the political clout of bigger cities such as Philly or favor the Republican majority that has catered to the conservative “T” in PA. Perhpas those are contributing factors.
Politicians tend to take care of their base. It doesn’t help a Dauphin County official get re-elected by helping the folks in Allegheny County. I think we have reasonable representation in Harrisburg right now. Hopefully as they gain tenure and work their way up through the ranks, we’ll benefit.
I haven’t yet been included in or studied the discussions on city/county consolidation here. I’m sure such a plan would take several iterations of input before it became viable. However, if we did combine resources here and become a larger, beter coordinated voting block, we would probably get more attention.
Our problems with infrastructure are both regional and local and must be addressed at both levels. These efforts require vision, study, planning and follow through.
We can’t just blame our problems on the lack of a major highway here. Sure, that does hurt and discourage businesses from locating here, but we must take care of our local issues as best we can as well.
Even if the Mon Fayette came through, we still need passable roads and better access to our brownfields.
You would be suprised by how many residents come to me opposing the fly-over ramp to our former mill-site. Some have called that a “ramp to nowhere”. Surely improved mill-site access does bring long term value to our community. It is hard to convince a resident of that when their street hasn’t been paved in decades and they are surrounded by dilapidated structures.
You are right on one other point. If we don’t learn to take care of the infrastructure we have, how can we expect to take care of more effectively.
We’re not going to solve these problems on your blog or mine. By advancing the discussion, we are providing a valuable service and hopefully stimulating the flow of ideas.
Paul Shelly
Mckeesport City Council
Paul "Sluggo" Shellly (URL) - May 23, 2008
Free the trolley tracks!
John M. - May 23, 2008
You know..maybe this trolley idea is a good one. We can use it as a tourist trap, and become a historical district…now if someone had 3 million dollars lying around we could use to fund it(maybe froma highway project)..maybe we could put trolley tracks next to maglev tracks next to the “T” tracks next to a bus lane next to a bicycle lane next to a HOV lane and make it a toll road…That would bring business here! Why not? Well, maybe it would be cheaper to send PAT buses to Mexico to pick up illegals..it seems that is who businesses want to hire now anyway…we have lots of cheap, uncared for homes that rent cheap up here in Grandview! And even having 12 people living in a two bedroom is commonplace! If we had alot of illegals we would even get more federal money pouring into the area…
Adam - May 27, 2008
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