Bower Hill Traffic Upgrade

HOW DOES SOMEONE RUNNING A RED LIGHT IN PHILLY help to ease traffic on Bower Hill Road?

In 2002, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) introduced Automated Red Light Enforcement (ARLE) systems—traffic lights equipped with video sensors that are triggered to yield photo evidence when drivers run red lights—in several intersections in Philadelphia and in Abington Township in Montgomery County that have a high volume of crashes. The technology eliminated the need for police officers to monitor the intersections and generated seven- and eight-figure fine collections annually. In 2010, PennDOT established the ARLE grant program with money collected from the violations. In 2019, ARLE grants totaled $15.4 million.

Mt. Lebanon received $268,149 of that money for traffic improvement construction, including installing dedicated right turn lanes on the Segar Road approach to Bower Hill Road and the Bower Hill Road approach to Washington Road. The municipality has three years to spend the grant money, says Public Works Director Rudy Sukal. The work is on the list of capital improvement projects for 2021, but can be completed anytime within the three-year time frame. This is Mt. Lebanon’s second ARLE grant. In 2014, we received $65,100 for the flashing beacon and embedded pavement lights at the mid-block crossing on Washington Road by Washington School.

Cash for Creativity

THE MT. LEBANON ARTISTS’ MARKET isn’t just a good opportunity to buy cool things from unique artists in the region. It also does good by providing $1,000 scholarships for budding young artists who will be attending an accredited higher education art program in the fall.

April 15 is the deadline for high school students to apply for the scholarships. Details and an application are available online. You also can donate toward the scholarship. Last year, scholarships went to Hannah Jones, Natalie Callahan and Madeline Kelly.

April 15 is also the deadline for artists to apply for a spot in the juried arts festival. Details are on the website.

This year’s Mt. Lebanon Artists’ Market is a little bit later than usual—Saturday, October 3 and Sunday, October 4, due to the Jewish holidays in September. The weekend always includes music, art demonstrations and popular local food trucks.

Outreach Capital Campaign Kicks Off

OUTREACH TEEN & FAMILY SERVICES, Mt. Lebanon’s nonprofit counseling organization, will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2024 and to mark it, the group launched a large-scale capital campaign with the goal of raising $300,000 by the anniversary.

It started last year, with a silent phase of the campaign, which brought in pledges of $170,000 from prominent local residents who are committed to Outreach’s cause of helping Mt. Lebanon families deal with mental health issues. The project is being organized as an endowment fund through the Mt. Lebanon Community Foundation.

“The Steering Committee and I are gratified by the overwhelming support our donors demonstrated from the beginning of the campaign’s quiet phase,” says Mary Birks, executive director of Outreach. “As we turn now to the public, it’s our expectation and hope that donors will continue to give generously to the campaign, to assist us in helping more families to address important issues. So many Mt. Lebanon families already have benefited from Outreach’s services and programs. Ensuring its continued operation will help Mt. Lebanon to remain a great place to
live and work.”

Birks says anxiety and depression are the most common reasons people seek help from Outreach. The organization receives some of its budget from Mt. Lebanon tax coffers, and in return, Mt. Lebanon residents can receive free and low-cost counseling sessions. This year, Outreach is budgeted to get $104,040, plus another $5,000 to add services at the Mt. Lebanon Public Library.

DISABILITY SUMMIT State Rep. Dan Miller’s Disability and Mental Health Summit is scheduled for Tuesday, March 3, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The keynote speech is at 8:30 a.m., followed by sessions that continue until 8 p.m., on topics such as legal issues, early intervention, navigating Medicaid, vocational rehabilitation and customized employment. Mt. Lebanon resident Frank Harris designed the poster, above.

GREEN FOR ST. PATRICK’S DAY Since Mt. Lebanon no longer recycles glass, at your St. Patrick’s Day party, serve beer from aluminum cans instead of glass bottles, and keep a separate recycling container. Try to serve drinks at parties in real glasses or reusable cups, but if you have to use plastic, make sure the cups are labeled plastic #1 or #2 (then rinse and recycle). If glass bottles are accumulating anyway, create a street-wide collection bin and deliver to PRC glass collection events (See prc.org for a list of events), or to Michael Brothers Hauling, 901 Horning Road.