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Pittsburgh City Council

A plan to have Munhall assist with plowing the streets gets kicked to the curb.

Written by Amy Whipple

A plan to ask Munhall to plow three neighborhoods was met with hostility by council members who accused the proponent of giving up on Pittsburgh workers.

Council Member Barb Warwick of Greenfield proposed exploring an exchange of services between the city and Munhall in relation to street operations, snow and ice assistance and supply storage. The discussion of her plan immediately became acrimonious during an Oct. 8 Pittsburgh City Council committee meeting.

The Lincoln Place, Hays and New Homestead neighborhoods are across the Monongahela River from the rest of the district and harder to service. Snow removal is a long-standing frustration across the city.

Director of Public Works Chris Hornstein said municipalities such as Munhall that boast efficient snow removal commit four times the resources than the city does.

The dire state of the city’s fleets has been a recurring topic this year. A post agenda meeting on Oct. 15 will cover the topic again with the inaugural fleet efficiency report.

Council Member Anthony Coghill of Beechview said the plan was insulting to the union members who plow the streets and a threat to their jobs. He said if the agreement was signed the union would sue the city for breach of contract.

The agreement, however, would go both ways with the city also helping Munhall clear its streets when possible.

Several council members expressed their frustration that city residents continue to go without consistent basic services like street cleaning. “The concept of continually giving up on Pittsburgh is just unacceptable to me,” Council Member Bobby Wilson of Spring Hill said.

The plan is not moving forward after a majority of council voted against advancing the proposal.

Connections to this story

Elected officials:
Anthony CoghillBobby Wilson
Topics:
Infrastructure
Governments:
Pittsburgh City Council
Public meetings:
City Council · October 7, 2025
Sources:
Resolution 2025-2062 — authorizing the Mayor and the Director of the Department of Public Works, on behalf of the City of Pittsburgh, to enter…

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