WESTOVER — Westover Public Works Director Jason Stinespring relayed some good news Monday evening regarding the city’s efforts to build a sidewalk along Fairmont Road.
“They finally announced the Community Development Block Grant awards, and we were awarded $400,000,” Stinespring told members of Westover City Council.
The project will construct a sidewalk and stormwater improvements along Fairmont Road, from Savannah Street toward Dents Run Boulevard.
The local match for the CDBG money will come by way of $100,000 from Mountain Line Transit. For its part, Mountain Line is requesting a 322-foot section of sidewalk along DuPont Road, from the driveway of its central office to its upper park and ride lot.
In October, the city received word from the Morgantown Monongalia Metropolitan Planning Organization that it will direct $400,000 in Surface Transportation Block Grant dollars to aid the Fairmont Road sidewalk project. Westover will provide a $100,000 match for those funds.
“So, between the Community Development Block Grant and the MMMPO money, we have $1 million for sidewalk and drainage on Fairmont Road,” Stinespring said. “We all know from looking at Holland Avenue that prices have gone up a lot. It’s not going to go as far as it would before, but it will still go a long way.”
Speaking of Holland Avenue, council approved $25,000 to have Thrasher Engineering provide preliminary designs for a beautification and pedestrian safety project along lower Holland Avenue.
Thrasher’s Doug Smith previously estimated the cost of new lighting, railing and some sidewalk work at around $250,000 though a large component of this design process will be nailing down costs and seeking funding partners.
“Once you see the design you can approve or not approve the project,” City Attorney Tim Stranko said.
Smith said he’s still pushing to get the larger Holland Avenue project, as well as the construction of a new Dent’s Run pump station, under way in the spring at a combined cost of $8.25 million.
