South Connnellsville to explore sinkhole on Youghiogheny Avenue
SOUTH CONNELLSVILLE — Council approved a request to explore the cause of reoccurring sinkholes on Youghiogheny Avenue in the borough on Monday.
The road has been closed by the borough for the second time in several months after a second sinkhole opened up approximately 15 feet away from where the initial sinkhole was located, according to Councilman George Jay, who heads up the borough’s public works department.
The problem occurred after Tri-County Drain finished work on the initial problem, which Jay said they agreed was completed. Now there is some concern that there’s either a cracked sewer pipe or possible mine subsidence causing the secondary sinkhole.
The borough’s street department plans to send a camera down the pipe and determine whether the sewer line is broken. In addition, Jay said they will move forward with some exploratory digging to determine the cause of the sinkhole.
“I have no idea what it’s going to cost,” said Jay. “We’ve got to do something. It’s pretty important.”
Until then, the lower end of Youghiogheny Avenue will remain closed.
In other public works business, Jay also asked for approval to use $750 the borough got for the sale of an old tree chipper to buy a set of pallet forks for the new high lift the borough recently purchased. That request was unanimously approved.