Unity seeks state funding to help replace poor-rated Monastery Drive bridge

Unity supervisors are setting their sights on a bridge on Monastery Drive as the next candidate for replacement in the township’s ongoing effort to update its infrastructure.

The supervisors estimate the Monastery Drive bridge project will cost approximately $1.2 million. They’ve applied for about $1 million of that amount through Pennsylvania’s local share account program, which draws upon gaming revenue. The township would be responsible for the remaining cost.

“With that funding, we will be able to make the project a reality,” said Mike O’Barto, chairman of the supervisors.

According to information compiled by PennDOT, the Monastery Drive span is in overall poor condition. Dating from 1978, the precast concrete bridge stretches 54 feet across Monastery Run near Saint Vincent Lake.

While the deck is considered to be in fair condition, the superstructure is in poor condition.

“All our bridges are inspected every two years,” O’Barto said. “It came out that there were some deficiencies within the (Monastery Drive) bridge structure. That’s why it got put on our project list.”

It’s one of five township bridges that recently were identified as needing attention.

With a previous $1 million state grant, Unity replaced a 1989 I-beam bridge carrying Shinsky Road over the North Branch of Sewickley Creek, near Pleasant Unity.

Unity and Hempfield townships split the $400,000 cost for replacing a culvert-type bridge on Pacek Road, at the township line.

O’Barto said Unity expects in the near future to seek additional state funding for replacing two remaining bridges — on Lloyd Avenue extension, near the Adelphoi Village main campus, and on Schultz Road, not far from the Latrobe Country Club.

He said the township initially spent more than $500,000 to complete preliminary engineering for all the targeted bridges.

“We’re being proactive,” O’Barto said. “We’re getting these projects to the point where they’re shovel-ready. If we were going to replace these bridges 10 or 20 years from now, it would cost a heck of a lot more money.”

No tax increase planned

The supervisors indicated they intend to keep township taxes at the current rates under a proposed 2025 Unity budget of about $8.2 million. That includes a general fund of $7.37 million, a state liquid fuels fund of $824,000 and a street light fund of $36,000.

O’Barto noted it has been about four decades since the township raised its general fund tax on real estate, set at 2.2 mills. The township collects an additional 2-mill tax that generates about $585,000 annually to assist Unity’s fire departments.