Executive Innamorato Celebrates New Public Works Facilities

Published on September 24, 2024

PITTSBURGH – County Executive Sara Innamorato was joined today by local elected officials and members of her administration for a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the opening of a new Department of Public Works maintenance garage and salt storage building in South Park Township. The new facilities will enhance the department’s ability to quickly and effectively maintain and address issues on the county-owned roads and bridges within Public Works Maintenance District 5, which includes all or parts of Baldwin Borough, Baldwin Township, Bethel Park, Brentwood, Mt. Oliver, Pittsburgh, South Park, West Mifflin, and Whitehall.

“We are thrilled to open these new state-of-the-art facilities, which will significantly enhance the Department of Public Works’ ability to maintain our roads and bridges efficiently,” said Executive  Innamorato. “This project embodies our commitment to investing in modern, sustainable infrastructure that not only supports our workforce, but also ensures safer and more reliable services for our residents. By reducing our environmental impact and improving operations, we’re building a county that works for everyone.”

The new 12,960-square-foot garage replaces a 4,500-square-foot garage that was in disrepair and did not adequately serve Public Works’ vehicle maintenance and equipment storage needs. For example, the old garage could fit only two pickup trucks, and all winter vehicles and equipment had to be stored outside or offsite. The new garage, on the other hand, has 12 motorized garage doors.

Features of the new garage include state-of-the-art vehicle maintenance areas, including an oil separator installed in the drain system, high bays for truck lifts, and indoor/outdoor wash stations. Additionally, it has large storage bins for materials, an emergency generator, an infrared heating system, boosted cell phone reception, bright and modern office space, as well as separate men’s and women’s restrooms, which was not previously the case.

The new 2,025-square-foot salt storage building onsite holds four times the amount of salt – 1,000 tons – compared to the previous facility. The added storage will ensure that winter operations crews in District 5 are better prepared for significant snow events.

“We are so grateful to all those who made this critical project possible,” said Stephen Shanley, P.E., Public Works Director. “The size and condition of our previous District 5 garage and salt storage facility presented challenges to our crews, especially during winter storms. We overcame those issues, but these beautiful new facilities will make a huge difference for our maintenance operations staff. Most importantly, the facilities will allow us to better serve the public by improving our ability to respond to issues on nearby county-owned roads and bridges.”

Sustainability and protecting the environment were a focus of the project. Construction of the garage occurred on a former brownfield site, and it incorporated the use of sustainable materials. Windows were installed on garage roof to increase natural light in the facility and reduce electricity usage, and 93 solar panels were placed on the garage’s roof and connected to the electrical grid. The number of electric vehicles used by Public Works is increasing, so an electric vehicle charging station was installed onsite. Also, the project included replacement of an aging storm sewer system and the installation of a rain garden to reduce stormwater runoff at the facilities.

“As we upgrade and replace county facilities, reducing their environmental impact and cost to operate are top priorities,” said Brittany Prischak, Department of Sustainability Director. “We are always looking to include LED lighting, energy efficiency, green infrastructure, and vehicle charging stations to support our expanding electric fleet into our projects whenever feasible. These new Public Works facilities are a great example of that effort, and we’re excited to have yet another solar panel installation on a county property.”

Construction of the new facilities began in May 2022 and ended this month. The county’s Facilities Management Department managed the $6.5 million project. DiMarco Construction, Inc., of Clairton did the construction work.

Media inquiries may be directed to Brent Wasko, Public Information Officer for the Department of Public Works
brent.wasko@alleghenycounty.us or by phone at 412-350-2451 or 412-577-6175 (cell).