Category: News || By

View Larger Map

Two short streets will be renamed in honor of former mayors Lou Washowich and Joe Bendel.

At tonight's meeting, city council is expected to vote on proposals to rename Marshall Drive Extension for Washowich, who served from 1980 to 1995, and Water Street for Bendel, who served from 1995 to 2000.

Washowich, who worked for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission after leaving office, is now retired. Bendel died in 2003.

Both streets to be renamed have significant links to the two former mayors, Mayor Michael Cherepko said. Planning for Marshall Drive Extension, which was completed in 2009, began during Washowich's term, and the former mayor was instrumental in convincing Tom Clark Chevrolet --- which is bounded on one side by the street --- to move into the city.

As for Water Street, Cherepko said the adjacent McKees Point Marina owes its existence to Bendel. "It's no secret that was his vision," he said. "People questioned it, but now it's a destination point for the city of McKeesport."

Few if any businesses use those streets as a primary mailing address, Cherepko said, so renaming them should cause minimal inconvenience, "which is a plus."

The move is not without precedent; Lysle Boulevard is named for longtime former Mayor George H. Lysle, who served in the 1920s and 1930s.

At Tuesday's work session, Councilman A.J. Tedesco Jr. suggested that all members of council join in sponsoring the legislation to rename the streets.

One sour note was sounded by city Council President Darryl Segina, who criticized Cherepko for adding the bills to council's agenda without asking members of council for their input first.

"I'm just questioning the manner of how this was done," Segina said. "I may have had my own ideas about how to honor these two men."

. . .

In Other Business: Council is expected to vote on a proposal to borrow $488,584 from First Commonwealth Bank to purchase new public works equipment, including two new dump trucks with salt spreaders, a smaller one-ton truck, an excavator and a trailer.

The equipment --- to be ordered through the state's joint-purchasing program --- will replace trucks in the city's fleet that Cherepko described as "antiques" and also will enable the city to begin tearing down abandoned houses using its own crews, rather than hiring outside contractors.

You are previewing your comment. Be sure to click on 'Post Comment' to store it.