Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Dormont public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
13 issues in roads
Paving program wrap-up
Felino will mill streets this week and lay base and wearing courses next week; the 2026 paving program should be done within two weeks.
2026 Road Program and sidewalk complications
The borough is switching to a five-year road program based on a full pavement survey by Pavement Management Group, instead of planning roads year by year in the fall. The goal is to coordinate paving with utility work so fresh pavement isn't cut up right away. Pavement Management Group will answer questions about road grades on January 26.
Speed data reliability and speed-display bias
Police speed data across three streets shows almost no serious speeding, but commission members worry the visible speed display makes drivers slow down — meaning the data may not reflect normal driving. They floated buying a small independent counter to check the police collector's numbers.
Potomac Avenue Street Light Replacement
The borough's existing Potomac Avenue lights are out of production with no parts left, so a replacement decision is coming one way or another. A cheap quote through the Act 129 rebate program drew aesthetic objections, and members want to look at other options — possibly with grant help — before committing.
2027 Road Program and Salt Costs
Rock salt for 2026-27 will cost $160 per ton through the SHACOG bid — roughly twice last year — and the manager warned of more price shocks to come in the budget.
Road program underfunding
The borough is paving Crosby Avenue, two sections of Tennessee Avenue, several alleys, and one added street alternate for about $596,000.
Reallocating road program funds after the Crosby Avenue hold
About $150,000 freed by holding work on the 2800 block of Crosby could fund alternate streets plus half-paving on Dwight, Dormont, and Annapolis avenues — but not all of it. The engineer suggested dropping 6th and 9th Alleys to stay in budget. Council flagged concerns about paving near the Annapolis Avenue school during school hours.
Dormont/Dwight and Peermont/Latonia traffic calming delays
A resident petition for traffic calming at Latonia and Peermont Avenues appears stalled since September. Adding stop controls on the main street could unlock crosswalks and curb extensions, and the SS4A grant could pay for a demonstration project.
Latonia/Piermont and Biltmore intersection safety
Residents report crashes, near-misses, and driver aggression at Latonia at Piermont and Biltmore at Latonia, where parked vehicles and downhill speeding block sight lines. The commission directed Gateway Engineers to study sight distance and bring back recommendations.
Five-year road program and condition rankings
The borough engineer presented a comprehensive, color-coded road condition list that will drive the five-year road program, factoring in utility and road-opening permits to avoid repaving streets twice.
Road and signal infrastructure projects
Pay requests totaling about $343,800 for the Dell/McFarland road work, a new flashing beacon at W. Liberty and Kelton, and the W. Liberty/Dormont signal replacement — all expected to be reimbursed by grants.
West Liberty Avenue road diet follow-through
The commission's December meeting was replaced by a PennDOT road diet meeting, and PennDOT's draft drawings remain non-public. The borough continues to push pedestrian safety priorities — including the problematic Illinois Avenue crosswalk removal — into the design process.
Crosswalk standardization and budget planning
Commissioners want cost estimates for the Kelton/Eastmont crosswalk upgrade now, so budget writers have real numbers before another year slips away. Staff also raised the question of whether some existing crosswalks should be removed for line-of-sight reasons.