Aug 6, 2002 By Patty Shultz 3 min read

CONNELLSVILLE – Roadwork along East Crawford Avenue has again been delayed by ongoing utility-line replacement in the same area slated to undergo reconstruction. “We’re not going to be able to get started until next week,” said Matt Skovera, PennDOT spokesman on Monday. “Pennsylvania-American Water Co. (PAWC) is still working in the area, and the construction company can’t get started.”

Work along the city’s main artery was scheduled to begin in early July, but utility-line work at that time pushed the timetable back a month.

Last week, PennDOT issued a statement that Donegal Construction would begin removing the asphalt at the East Crawford Avenue and Breakneck Road intersection – the project’s first phase – on Monday.

Skovera said, instead, the roadwork would begin Aug. 12.

“(PWAC) said they should be finishing up their work by Wednesday or Thursday,” he said. “The contractor has told us he’ll get started the first of next week.”

The 4,000-foot waterline replacement project stretches from the East Crawford Avenue and Breakneck Road to the intersection of Crawford Avenue with Snyder Street (Route 711), the same path as the road construction.

The work was necessary, said Skovera, because the existing waterlines are too shallow to allow excavation for the new roadway to proceed.

Columbia Gas Co. is also replacing its utility lines in the project area.

The roadwork, when started, will require vehicular traffic to be detoured around the affected site.

Breakneck Road will be closed off to traffic onto or off Crawford Avenue during the first phase of the project while the current bituminous surface is replaced with cement. Traffic will be maintained along East Crawford with around-the-clock flagmen directing the flow of vehicles.

After the intersection work is complete, Breakneck Road will be reopened to traffic.

The second phase of the project will include the removal of pavement along Crawford Avenue.

Vehicular traffic will be rerouted from East Crawford to Breakneck road onto Falcon Drive and Locust Street before entering onto Snyder Street to East Crawford when traveling west into the city.

Those leaving Connellsville will follow the detour in reverse order.

The roadway will be open to emergency vehicles and those with PennDOT approval to use the throughway.

While previous city roadwork has required drivers to take alternate routes, Connellsville Police Chief Stephen Cooper said he was not looking forward to the already heavy truck traffic being joined by school buses transporting students to the local school buildings in and around the detour areas.

“I was hoping they were going to be finished or at least close to finishing by the time school started,” said Cooper on Monday.

Cooper said the department would monitor the traffic patterns during the construction period.