City to begin first round of parking improvements
Three parking lots in Butler will receive repairs and renovations this year as part of city council’s first steps in larger plans to address parking citywide.
Council voted unanimously on Thursday, July 24, to approve a $654,809 bid on the renovation of the parking lots off Diamond Street, North Street and North Main Street.
Four total bids were made on the project and Hiles Excavating, the low bidder, was chosen for the work.
Mayor Bob Dandoy said the work Hiles Excavating will complete goes beyond paving and will feature some landscaping and creating more handicap access.
Out of $90 million in Butler Area Sewer Authority sale proceeds the city received, $15 million was reserved for a long-range plan to address immediate needs of the city. When the board accepted the plan in January, only $11.5 million was specifically allocated to projects.
According to the long-range plan, the city allocated $1 million toward the three lots’ renovations. Since the bid came out to $650,000, council said the remaining $350,000 will be used toward other projects, such as a $160,000 turf replacement at Historic Pullman Park.
“When you look at the other projects from the long-range plan coming under budget, it’s a nice little bonus,” Councilman Don Shearer said in regards to the cost of the turf being covered by the unallocated funds.
Improvements to the three lots are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the city’s overall plan for parking.
In coming years, other items listed in the city’s long-range plan include the installation of digital kiosks, a $4 million investment into the Tier Parking Garage and a $450,000 investment into the South McKean Street parking deck. Work on the garage is expected to take place in 2026 and 2027, while work on the parking deck is expected to start in 2027.
As for the digital kiosks, Dandoy clarified that while they were not ready, the lots are being designed with them in mind.
“Some of the kiosk work is sort of getting done because there are little platforms they install. That way, when the kiosks are ready, we’re ready to go,” he said.
The next city council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Aug. 28. A forum meeting will take place at 7 p.m. on Aug. 14.
