Road project will include upgrading storm sewerage lines
CONNELLSVILLE – A summer road improvement project being undertaken by the state transportation department will allow the city to upgrade its storm sewerage lines at a reduced cost. Councilman Bruce Jaynes said that the city street department and municipal authority are making preparations for the improvements at the intersection of Route 119 and Crawford Avenue that will include the separation of storm and sanitary lines that now flow in a single pipeline.
“I think this is going to be a good deal,” said Jaynes of the city-initiated work. “(City street foreman) Vernon Ohler and (Widmer Engineering Inc. engineer) Jeff Stepanic are looking at our options.”
According to Ron Murray, PennDOT project design manager, the roadway improvements will encompass portions of the northbound lanes of Route 119, sections of the southbound lanes of the highway and Crawford Avenue.
Dick Widmer, vice-president of Widmer Engineering Inc., said that the utility project was considered by the two entities after it was learned that the road improvements would include adding additional water amounts to the existing sanitary system.
While the separation of the storm and sanitary line would benefit the overall operation of the system, Widmer said the installation could be complicated to complete.
“The elevations are critical,” he said. “The base for the road planned by PennDOT restricts where the storm sewer can be located. (A new sanitary line) will have to go beneath the road base.
“We’re going to try to make it workable.”
If completed, the new line would extend from the intersection to an existing storm sewerage line located at Seventh Street.
The municipal authority is also in the process of submitting plans to renovate two manholes located within the PennDOT work area.
“The manholes are old and are made of brick and are showing some wear and tear and some deterioration,” said Widmer. “We believe this would be a good time to make the improvements.”
Although there has been some discussion concerning the replacement of sanitary lines in the area, Widmer said that the cost would outweigh the benefits.
“PennDOT does reimburse municipalities for utility line replacement if the lines need to be relocated due to its project, but that is not the case in this situation,” he said. “The municipal authority has utilized its personnel to evaluate the condition of the existing sewer lines. And based on its findings, there is no need to undertake the project.”
Jaynes, meanwhile, said the city’s portion of the cost would not be determined until a final plan has been agreed upon by the three entities.
“We (the city and authority) have discussed equally splitting the cost,” he said, adding the city’s portion would be defrayed through the Liquid Fuels account, which is state allocated money for road improvement projects. “I believe this is a very worthwhile project.”