close

Sewer line installation could cause traffic problems

By Christine Haines 3 min read

BROWNSVILLE – Motorists in the Brownsville area can expect six to nine months of inconveniences as new sewer lines are installed throughout the borough. Project manager Bill Johnson of Fayette Engineering said most of the traffic headaches will be over by December as the installation of sewer lines on Market, High, Second and Water streets is completed as part of Phase II of the new plant construction and system upgrade.

Johnson said Phase II includes three contractors installing new lines throughout the town and construction of five pump stations being done by two contractors. The work began this past week and is to be completed within 270 consecutive days, Johnson said.

“Traffic is impacted by the line work, not so much by the pump stations,” Johnson said. “The biggest ones we’re going to be impacting and not making any friends with are Market and High Streets and Second and Water Streets. Every neighborhood in the town is going to see us once or twice this summer and fall.”

Johnson said crews should be finished this week with one of the worst intersections for traffic: the area of Market, High and Bank streets, through which all traffic going to or from Hiller and South Brownsville pass.

Johnson said he is hoping to have all of the line installation work in the lower downtown area and High Street hill done by the end of August.

“Both High Street and Market, along with Second are the same contractor, so there is a level of coordination,” Johnson said.

Johnson said motorists can expect delays of five to 10 minutes to allow for construction and the movement of equipment in those areas. He noted that back-ups could be longer coming out of the Hiller area than going into it because there is a higher traffic flow going out of town.

“We are trying to keep the traffic situation running as smoothly as possible,” Johnson said.

Johnson said the contractor, D and M Contracting, generally is working on the project Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m., though the hours and days may vary, depending on the weather.

Johnson said line work on the four busiest streets in the borough and Hiller should be completed by the end of December, though he said most anything can happen once the streets are opened up and all the work done in the past is exposed.

“We uncovered a section of wooden pipe the other day,” Johnson said.

CUSTOMER LOGIN

If you have an account and are registered for online access, sign in with your email address and password below.

NEW CUSTOMERS/UNREGISTERED ACCOUNTS

Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe, click the Subscribe button below.

Starting at $4.79/week.

Subscribe Today