MONACA, Pa. — A major streetscape project is underway in Monaca. It’s something Borough Manager David Kramer said the borough’s been working toward since around 2013.
“The last streetscape project was 1988, so we’re 40 years in,” Kramer told Channel 11’s Andrew Havranek. “We want to bring our downtown back, and this is one way of doing it.”
It’s a $7 million project. Half of it is paid for by a state grant, the other half by the borough.
Underground utility work started last year, and this spring, they’ve started on the road and sidewalk.
The goal is to make downtown more vibrant, attract more businesses and people to the borough, and make it safer for drivers and people walking through town.
“We’re tearing out sidewalks, replacing with brick. We have half a million bricks going into this project. New lighting, new benches, bike racks!” Kramer said.
While it might be a bit of a hassle for drivers now, business owners tell Channel 11 they are excited for the finished project.
“We’re excited that the changes are taking place,” said Mark Kopsack, owner of Valley Vintage Motorworks. “They’ve been doing a lot of planning, and that’s what it takes to do a project as big as this one is. We give them a lot of credit. They seem to be working pretty quickly, and we’re looking forward to see the end result.”
Since it’s a state-owned road, crews can only work on Pennsylvania Avenue from March until October. But Kramer is hoping for good weather in the fall and winter, so work can continue on the sidewalks and lights.
He’s hoping it’ll be finished by the middle of next summer.
And he said private investors are working on revitalizing empty businesses, investing nearly $35 million into the community.
“We have a lot of work going into town,” He said. “The next five years, it’s going to change dramatically. It’s exciting to be a part of it.”
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
©2026 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/XCUXZC2XYZHCRGNNGKFEX6U3LQ.png)
