According to the U.S. Postal Service, the township of Peters doesn't exist. And council is trying to change that.

There's Canonsburg and Venetia, which constitute the eastern half of Peters. Although there's a McMurray Post Office, its mailing address is actually in a Canonsburg ZIP code-- 15317 -- according to the Postal Service.

They don't make too fine a point of it; if you address a package to McMurray 15317, it will find its way there.

But, considering Peters is Washington County's most populous township, with more than 20,000 residents, why can't it get its own ZIP code?

Recently, the Postal Service expressed an interest in looking for a new facility in the Venetia area -- ZIP code 15367 -- because it has outgrown its 25- to 30-year-old location on Venetia Road.

Two Peters council members, along with U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair, and township manager Michael Silvestri met with Postal Service representatives recently to discuss whether the new facility could use a different mailing address, such as Peters, or Venetia-Peters, with the idea being that Venetia would eventually be dropped from the name.

Such a change would not take place without a survey first of Venetia residents by the Postal Service.

Mr. Silvestri told council Monday night it didn't seem likely that Peters would get its own ZIP code, but he said Postal representatives told him they would explore various options, especially the renaming idea.

Also Monday, council:

• Agreed to a $800,000 contribution to the state Department of Transportation for a multimillion-dollar project to rebuild the intersection of Valleybrook Road and Route 19. The payment will be due 30 days before the start of the project, expected in the spring of 2009. If the project is stopped for some reason, the payment would be refunded.

• Gave the go-ahead for the Peters Baseball Association to purchase a $4,245 chain link fence to separate a double baseball field in Venetia Park. The 140-foot long, 8-foot high aluminum chain-link fence would provide a safer field for children ages 5 through 8 who use the field.

• Heard an update from Montour Trail Council president Mark Imgrund, who said he wants to construct a temporary trail on the south side of Valleybrook Road that would connect to the trail at the Chartiers Creek Bridge while a permanent section is being built on the western side of Route 19 towards Lawrence. He also received permission from council to post a banner on a bridge spanning McMurray Road to advertise this year's Twilight Trail Walk in July.