North Fayette authority to relocate water lines Affected by Mon/Fayette Expressway expansion
DUNBAR TWP. – North Fayette County Municipal Authority officials are looking into relocating four water lines within the next several years that will be affected by the expansion of the Mon/Fayette Expressway. Robert Softcheck, authority manager, said Tuesday the general area of the water line relocation extends from the village of Royal to the intersection of Route 119 and Route 51. Of the four relocations, Softcheck said, three are situated along Canista, Langley and Keisterville roads in Menallen Township and one is situated near Pittsburgh Road in North Union Township.
According to Softcheck, the bulk of the project includes relocating the water lines at Keisterville Road and Pittsburgh Road.
Softcheck said the authority met this month with officials from the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and the state Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to discuss the project.
Although the authority took no action on the matter, Softcheck noted several issues the authority needs to address before the project begins, such as engineer and which entity will coordinate construction. Another obstacle Softcheck said the authority has to overcome is the amount of reimbursement it will receive from the turnpike commission.
Unlike PennDOT, which reimburses the authority for 90 percent of the project, Softcheck said the turnpike commission reimburses only 50 percent. In order to receive additional reimbursement from the turnpike commission, Softcheck said, the authority has to prove a need for the funding.
Since the authority has run into problems in the past with the construction and engineering of water-line relocations, Softcheck suggested that PennDOT coordinate both aspects of the project.
“A project of this nature where several engineers are involved in one section, if they make some type of change we already designed for, it may create some problems,” said Softcheck.
If the expressway expansion goes as planned, Softcheck added, PennDOT will bill the authority for the costs associated with the engineering and construction of the project.
Turning to other matters, the authority received a “clean” audit report from McClure and Wolf certified public accountants and consultants of Uniontown. The report concerned the authority’s financial statements in addition to the Public Protection and Recreation Comptroller’s office concerning a loan with the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority.
Softcheck commended Jackie Gambone, authority secretary, and the office staff for helping to compile the information for the audits.
“All of the internal control in the business office is in place and in compliance with standard procedures,” he said.
In a separate matter, the authority continued its discussion of establishing an apprenticeship program for its filtration plant managers. The program is required under new state Department of Environmental Protection certification requirements that went into effect this month.
Softcheck said talks about the program with the authority’s union president have been positive. He added that he has been in contact with Penn State Fayette Campus to discuss the possibility of implementing such a program there through continuing education.