Port Authority to expand park and ride lot in Bethel Park
Port Authority of Allegheny County has plans to repave and slightly expand the crowded and pothole-ridden park and ride lot near the Washington Junction T station.
Port Authority officials presented an overview of the project at a hearing before Bethel Park Municipal Council May 18. Council will consider granting its approval at the June 8 meeting.
The lot routinely fills to capacity by 7 a.m. most weekdays, so Port Authority will change the layout slightly to accommodate more cars. The lot has about 250 spaces, but when the project is complete, it should have 302 spaces.
“We’re also hoping to keep it more organized,” said project engineer Jim Flynn of Gannett Fleming, an engineering firm in Pittsburgh.
However, the lot capacity will plummet during construction. About 100 spaces will be available during the repaving. Crews will work on half of the lot at a time, before moving to the other half.
In the meantime, commuters could use the garage at South Hills Village as an alternate lot.
The entire project should be complete in about four months and Port Authority hopes to begin construction this summer.
Council president Tim Moury expressed concerns with the aisle widths in the lot and questioned whether the push to cram more spaces in the lot may lead to more parking lot collisions.
Councilman James Hannan asked if there was a way to ensure this lot would be maintained, “since Port Authority has a reputation for having properties that are not very well maintained.”
Municipal planner Jerry Duke said enforcement of any rundown Port Authority property would be the same as any other privately-owned property, starting first with warnings, then fines and if necessary, revocation of the occupancy permit.
In another planning and zoning hearing, council heard from a representative of Cool Springs Sports Complex, who asked to change the zoning on part of its property on Baptist Road from R-3 to R-T, because the company plans to build town homes there.
Paul Mackenzie, who lives down the hill from the Cool Springs property, said he was worried about water run off, since flooding occurs at the foot of the hill already and he’s concerned it will only get worse with additional development.
Council said they would work with Cool Springs officials to investigate the problem and determine if any solution is possible to alleviate the flooding.