Export officials continue to explore taking back Italy Road from PennDOT

If Export officials ultimately decide to take back control of Italy Road from PennDOT, they will have nearly $200,000 in grant funding available for sewage work.

Council President Barry Delissio announced that the borough had been approved for more than $360,000 through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Environmental Development’s Small Water and Sewer Grants program.

About $200,000 would go toward sewer line work along Italy Road, with $173,000 for future sewage work along Buchanan Street.

“We’ll get these in the works,” Delissio said. “We want to explore Italy Road and make sure it’s worth entering the (Highway Transfer) Turnback program.”

Part of enrolling in the program requires the borough to undertake engineering to determine what elements of Italy Road — storm sewers, sidewalk sections, etc. — need to be updated. PennDOT would then fund the updates and pay the borough $4,000 per-mile in annual maintenance.

PennDOT has owned the road since 1931.

Reorganization

Prior to its first regular meeting of 2024, council held its annual reorganization meeting, staying with Delissio as president and Councilwoman Melanie Litz as vice president.

The borough also added a new committee, buildings and grounds, with Councilman Jim Mahinske as its chair. Councilman Stephen Opsitnick Jr., who was sworn in Tuesday evening after winning a four-year term in November’s election, is the other committee member.

Donation

The family of Export native Gary Wuslich made a $10,000 donation to the Export Historical Society.

Wuslich initially donated $10,000 in 2020 to help fund the relocation of the borough’s veterans monument.

Wuslich died in 2021.

“It means a lot that the family continues to support our efforts,” said Litz, who is also part of the historical society.

House numbers

Council encouraged residents to make sure they have their house numbers clearly visible from the street in order to help first responders locate the right house during an emergency. More than 200 properties do not have numbers displayed, borough officials said.

Delissio said the borough does have regulations about how house numbers are to be displayed, “but it goes back probably three or four code officers.”

“The big thing is we’re trying to locate the original ordinance,” Delissio said.

Many towns require residents to prominently display their 911-assigned house number, either on their front door or mailbox, in order to aid emergency services.

Delissio said the borough would address compliance once they determine the original ordinance’s language.