Homewood Pedestrian and Transit Improvement Project
The Homewood Pedestrian and Transit Improvement Project will construct improvements identified through Homewood's resident-driven Cluster Plan, and echoed in the City Safe Routes To School Plan and The Homewood Transit Oriented Development Study.
Improvements are bounded by the East Busway, Homewood Avenue, Hamilton Avenue, and Braddock Avenue, and anchored by neighborhood assets including Faison Elementary School, the neighborhood business district, and Homewood Station on the East Busway.
Funding for this project was made possible by the Transportation Alternatives Program through Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission.
Background
The URA worked with Homewood organizations and residents to fundraise and design the project over the last several years. M and B Services was engaged through PennDOT's competetive bid process to construct the project.
The project includes the following improvements:
- Improved LED lighting under the busway and railroad underpass
- New pedestrian scale lighting, street trees, and street furniture (benches/trash receptacles/bike racks) on Homewood Avenue between the East Busway and Hamilton Avenue
- New thermoplastic "piano key" crosswalks and ADA ramps along pedestrian paths to Faison School and the East Busway
- Sidewalk and curb replacement along Tioga Street -- Sidewalks in many areas along Tioga Street are completely missing or damaged causing pedestrians to walk in the streets. This project will replace those sidewalks to ensure safe pedestrian passage between Homewood Avenue and Faison School.
- Flashing School Speed Limit signage on Tioga Street by the school
- Traffic Calming on Finance Street -- Speed humps will be installed on Finance Street to discourage speeding, as well as the truck traffic that uses this residential street and school route as a pass through.
Construction Schedule
Construction will begin April 1, 2019 and is expected to be completed by winter 2019.
Schedule Update:
August: Installation of School Flashers on Tioga Street in front of Faison School.
Early September: M and B will mobilize to the north side of Homewood Avenue where they will excavate the existing sidewalk to make way for new conduit and wiring for the new light poles. New ADA ramp installations will be installed along with sidewalk restorations. Once the conduit and wiring is complete, the new light poles will be installed.
Late September - Mid October: M and B will move to the south side of Homewood Avenue where they will excavate the existing sidewalk to place conduits for new light poles. ADA ramps and sidewalk restoration will take place along with the planting of new trees and landscaping, seeding, and mulching. Once the conduit and wiring is complete, the new light poles will be installed.
Milling and paving will be completed on Finance Street along with the installation of speed bumps.