Mayor Requests Additional Funding For Paving Budget
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Take a drive up Brookline Boulevard and you'll put your tires, your rims and even your axles at risk.
Potholes have made the street more of a minefield than the main thoroughfare of a business district.
"Look at our cars up here. It's horrible, and if it's raining and you're standing here, boom, your full of water and everything," said Dave Constantine, a Brookline resident.
But relief is on the way.
In a few short weeks, paving crews will be putting down a fresh layer of asphalt. They're doing the same thing on North Braddock Avenue in Homewood.
They're two of the lucky streets that will be resurfaced this year on limited funds.
"We're going to turn over every pillow, come up with every nickel and dime to pave the streets this year," said Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto.
Mayor Peduto says he inherited a capital budget with only $9 million for paving. That's enough for 29 miles of street.
He's now asking City Council to approve $2 million more. That will bring that total mileage to 40.
Still, he'd like to do twice that.
"All we're doing now is playing a game of catchup that we'll never win," Mayor Peduto said.
To that end, he's proposing a five-year plan.
This summer, he will ask the state oversight board to approve more capital dollars to pave more streets next year and for the next several years.
But with limited funds this year, paving will be restricted to the most heavily-traveled roads that are in the worst shape.
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