MERCER COUNTY Sharpsville seeks aid for improvements

New sidewalks, period-style lighting and landscaping are in the plan.
SHARPSVILLE, Pa. -- The borough is looking for state help to link residential neighborhood improvements with the downtown business district.
Borough council is expected to approve an application Wednesday seeking a $350,000 grant from the state's Elm Street program, which is designed to foster improvements to residential neighborhoods adjacent to downtown areas.
Consultant Mourice Waltz said the borough will be able to use about $100,000 from its federal Community Development Block Grant account to help do some of the work.
Project's details
The project will be twofold, Waltz said, explaining that part of it will include new sidewalks and general streetscape improvements such as period-style lighting, ornamental signs, benches and landscaping. The rest will be just sidewalks.
The project will start at the corner of Walnut Street and Ridge Avenue and go south on Walnut to Oak Avenue.
That area will get both the streetscape and sidewalk improvements because residents in living in those blocks fit the federal low- and moderate-income guidelines for expenditure of CDBG funds for public improvements.
The sidewalk-only portion of the project will cover a section of Oak Avenue, First Street and Milliken Avenue, making a loop around the high school football field and ending at Blue Devil Way, which is an access to the Sharpsville Area School District's campus.
The idea is to provide improved walking links from the residential area with the downtown district, Waltz said.
The application must be submitted this month. Waltz said the state Department of Community and Economic Development has been receptive to the project scope.