City of Saint Marys approves paving and culvert contracts, applies for $750,000 airport grant; hears pool study and resident safety concerns

The City of Saint Marys Council on March 17 approved contracts for road and drainage work, authorized an application for $750,000 in multimodal grant funding for the municipal airport runway, and granted a utility right-of-way for a private property owner. Council members also heard results of a community pool feasibility survey and public comments about speeding on a residential hill.

City Manager Joe (last name not specified) told the council that PennDOT has placed the Route 120 connector project for Saint Marys on hold because of budget shortfalls and that the city does not yet know when the project will resume. He also outlined nearly $8 million in roadway and infrastructure projects planned for the coming months, including work on Washington Street and Erie Avenue, replacement of the North Michael Street structure, and a top coat or overlay on 37 roadways the city has worked on during the past four years.

Why it matters: The council’s actions move multiple capital projects forward and commit city staff to follow-up steps on grant applications and design work. The airport grant request and the large slate of paving and culvert projects affect the city’s near-term construction schedule and capital spending plans.

Council approved a resolution to authorize staff to apply for a multimodal grant to support repaving the airport runway and asked for $750,000 from the multimodal fund. City Manager Joe told the council the airport’s total repaving estimate has…