The next phase in Zelienople's Main Street beautification project will be funded in part by a $400,000 state grant.

The office of state Sen. Elder Vogel, R-47th, announced Friday the borough's receipt of a Commonwealth Financing Authority grant for Phase 3 of Zelienople's streetscape improvements project. Zelienople, said the state legislator whose district includes much of western Butler County north of Cranberry Township, was one of four recipients in Beaver, Butler and Lawrence counties.

Borough Manager Don Pepe said the upcoming phase will stretch along Route 19 — Zelienople's central business district — from New Castle Street through the Four Corners Park area, which is situated at the intersection of Routes 19 and 68.

“It'll be, in essence, the same project that we've done in Phase 1 and Phase 2, in terms of putting the utilities underground, and the street lighting and all that,” Pepe said.

The $400,000 grant won't fully fund the project, but it'll take a chunk out of the more than $1 million estimated cost.

“You're looking at a substantial piece of that pie,” Pepe said. “We've been doing that through all the phases: Getting this piece and that piece until it reaches 100%.”

Much of the cost, Pepe said, is invested in important — although virtually invisible — infrastructure work. But, he added, the streetscape improvements in Phase 3 will make a noticeable impact in how the segment north of New Castle Street will appear.

“It's removing the old infrastructure there and replacing it with the new,” he said. “Curbs, sidewalks, stormwater, all the underground utilities and putting in new poles, new lighting.”

Phase 1 of Zelienople's revitalization work focused on the area between New Castle and Spring streets, with construction beginning in 2016. The second phase of the project worked on streetscape enhancements between Spring and Beaver streets, beginning in 2021. This third phase is likely to be the final major segment of the work, the Pepe said.

“That will finish the Main Street corridor, except, I think, the Four Corners Park may be separated into a different project piece,” Pepe said.