Commission OKs plans to expand Route 19 park-ride

Reconfigured lot will have 661 more spaces

Ross Township commissioners Monday unanimously approved plans for an expansion of the Port Authority of Allegheny County’s park-and-ride lot on Route 19.

The Port Authority plans to build a parking deck and reconfigure spaces at the lot, located near the High Occupancy Vehicle ramp to Interstate 279.

The lot has 303 parking spaces. The parking deck will have 661 spaces.

The project also includes additional turning lanes on Route 19, an underground retention basin for stormwater, and landscaping.

The expansion was conceived and designed before COVID-19 forced many Downtown businesses to switch to remote work for employees, prompting Ross commission President Steve Korbel to question whether the additional spaces are still needed.

“We’ve had quite a bit of debate whether or not to continue with this project,” said Steve Kladny, manager of capital programs for the Port Authority. “It is our belief that, once we get through COVID, we are going to rebound and we will see the ridership from that area, and all areas, increase.”

The commission also approved a 2021 budget that does not contain a tax increase. Ross’s $23.4 million general fund budget holds the tax rate at 2.7 mills.

The budget includes $200,000 to complete Denny Park Phase 2, $390,000 for improvement projects at Seville, Sangree, Herge and Mayer parks, and $ 20,000 toward resurfacing Sharmin Park.

The township also budgeted $75,000 to hire a professional contractor to continuously upgrade baseball fields.

Two bridges along Nelson Run are scheduled to be replaced, as well as stormwater systems on Fourth Avenue and St. William’s Place.

The Annual Road Program is budgeted at $1.5 million by using this year’s surplus.

The police department plans to purchase riot gear equipment and four new vehicles.

The township’s sewer fees will not rise, but the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority is scheduled for a 7% increase for sewage treatment.

The budget was approved 8-1 with only Jack Betkowski dissenting.

In other business, officials virtually presented Dan Burda, of Studio Raw Elite, with the second annual Durachko-Gottfried Ross Township Citizen of the Year Award.

The award, which was first handed out last year, is in honor of Dr. Richard Gottfried, a Ross dentist who was killed in the Tree of Life shooting, and his wife, Dr. Peg Durachko.

Township Manager Ron Borczyk said workers are finalizing changes to the meeting room that will allow the commission to livestream meetings. Currently, the commissioners are participating in virtual meetings from their homes.

Commissioners will meet Jan. 4 and 19. Both meetings are planned to be held virtually.

Also, commissioners approved a consulting contract with W. Ronald Smeal to study the inner workings of township departments, including the police.