Monongahela celebrates new street lights

They were financed through a $147,000 DCED grant.

Monongahela officials gathered Monday to celebrate the installation of new city street lights, made possible by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.

Monongahela received $147,000 from the DCED to replace 100 of the city’s luminaire street lights. Councilwoman Sarah O’Brien, who worked alongside other city officials to put the grant application together, said the city is grateful for the new lights.

“The lighting through town was very dark and dull, and you couldn’t really see properly, and some of the local businesses in the chamber had reached out asking if there was anything I could do,” O’Brien said. “It was my very first year when I got elected on council, and so we started the process of seeing what we could do.”

Mayor Greg Garry thanked everyone who helped with the multimodal grant application, including state Rep. Andrew Kuzma, state Sen. Camera Bartolotta and Washington County Commissioner Nick Sherman. Garry said a lot of credit for the grant goes to O’Brien and Councilman Roy Sarver.

“We discussed several vital updates necessary to continue enhancing the community; lighting was a key factor in improving the city,” Garry said. “Our residents, as well as visitors, walk along Main Street to shop and exercise. Visibility is necessary. These lights will provide safety and a sense of security to our residents and visitors.” Kuzma said one of the main reasons he became a state representative is to help deliver funds to local communities like Monongahela.

“I’m constantly harping on the fact that there’s a disproportionate amount of funding that comes to Southwestern Pennsylvania, when you compare it to Philadelphia,” Kuzma said. “The multimodal grant through statewide LSA is extremely competitive, but the application was phenomenal. The staff that undertook the completion of the application were phenomenal.”

O’Brien explained that in their decision to pick the new lights, they sought the opinion of local residents. When deciding on what to pick, they put out a poll on their social media to receive community input.

O’Brien said they originally hoped to have them by the fall of last year, but decided to wait due to weather and safety concerns. She expressed thanks for the support from the street crew throughout the process.

The new lights are visible throughout the city after being installed earlier this year, and O’Brien encourages people to come out and see them. They extend from First Street to the Monongahela/New Eagle border near the Eat’n Park.