For many years, Murrysville community leaders have wanted a downtown area for pedestrians to walk and shop.
The streetscape plan finally has come to fruition, with a design plan released last month.
Streets will be rehabilitated, while lighting, curbs, landscaping and benches will be installed on Old William Penn Highway from the Barbara Redding Bridge to Gates Drive.
"We're trying to create a pedestrian-oriented environment," said Chief Administrator John Barrett. "We want Old William Penn (Highway) to be Murrysville's Main Street. We want to create a destination that is pedestrian-friendly and beautifies the area to enhance all the improvements the state put into Route 22."
The concept of a downtown Murrysville was discussed as far back as 1995. The goal was to create a walking pattern around a town-square area.
A lack of funding stalled the plan. But in 2006, the municipality landed a $739,167 streetscape grant from PennDOT through the federally funded Transportation Enhancements/Hometown Streets and Safe Routes to School Programs.
"Finally, after all these years, it looks like we're going to be able to put it into the initial phases," said John Ferri, owner of Ferri Family Pharmacy, 3907 Old William Penn Highway. "Currently there are not a whole lot of places to walk. If you put sidewalks in, it will occur."
Ferri is a member of the Murrysville Economic and Community Development Corp., which was instrumental in the development of the project that will be shepherded by Fayette Engineering of North Union, which will provide engineering and design services.
Mayor Joyce Somers has said the creation of a pedestrian-friendly downtown area can give Murrysville the best of both worlds: a business corridor transformed with PennDOT's reconstruction of Route 22, along with a hometown streets corridor capitalizing on the tree-lined charm of Old William Penn, which runs roughly parallel to Route 22 before the two roads hook up east of the Monroeville border.
"We were really thrilled to get this grant from PennDOT. It's the beginning of what we can do along our street," Somers said. "It's something we felt we needed to have: some sort of identification for the town."
Cody Downes, manager of Murrysville Auto Clinic, 3835 Old William Penn Highway, liked what he saw.
"It's really going to be a class job," he said. "It will increase traffic in downtown Murrysville -- people traffic. The way they're going to do it, with brick patterns, will decrease vehicle traffic speed and aesthetically raise the bar. Overall, it's going to be a great improvement to the area."
Barrett feels the plan may entice the 20 or so businesses in that corridor to cultivate the hometown feel of the roadway.
"It will create the incentive for existing businesses to enhance their facades and enhance their property," Barrett said "The work we're doing will come through and make it visually more appealing. It may actually attract some new businesses."
But not all residents completely support the project.
Conrad Goldstrohm, who lives at 3800 Old William Penn Highway in the western end of the project, wonders why sidewalks extend to his property where there are no pedestrian businesses.
"People who utilize these businesses arrive in a vehicle and leave in a vehicle. They don't walk," Goldstrohm said. "The businesses are not conducive to pedestrian travel. These sidewalks aren't going anywhere, so I questioned the rationale of the sidewalks. The sidewalks are nice, but are they going to be used?"
Barrett said meetings will be held with residents and property owners in the area to gather input as the plan is developed. Construction is expected to begin in the summer with fall as a target date for completion.
"I think it's going to have a real positive impact," Barrett said. "I'm looking forward to it becoming a reality."
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