Council to Collect Info About Sink Hole
Senate Engineering Project Engineering Phil Herman discussed the hole found in the right-turning lane on South Water Street at the bridge intersection with Kittanning Borough Solicitor Ty Heller and Council President Andy Peters last night during a special meeting.
by Jonathan Weaver
About four feet underneath the bridge intersection in Kittanning Borough is a hole of nothing.
M&B Services workers found the void Sunday, November 1 while digging a trench across the street to lay conduit as part of burying utility lines for the Streetscape project. The ditch has since been backfilled near the four-way Market Street intersection, but the possibility still exists that the road may also cave in, Senate Engineering Project Engineer Phil Herman said.
“At this point, we know that there’s a sinkhole underneath the road bridged by the concrete, the brick and the pavement overtop of it,” Herman said. “Whether or not we really know the extent is the question.”
Since it is not a PennDOT responsibility – according to PennDOT District 10 Hauling Permit Manager Frank Mouser – PennDOT wanted an answer by today as to what the Borough authorities were going to do about it.
But, during a special meeting last night between Kittanning Borough Council and Sewage Authority members, officials determined they need to know more about the hole before assigning any responsibility.
Today, Robinson Pipe Cleaning, Inc. of Pittsburgh will attempt to shine a light into the hole and use a video camera to determine its structural integrity – or lack thereof.
“That’s the biggest problem here: you think you’re getting into a hole 4-by 3-by 8, and the next thing you know (you could be in a) hole taking up the whole intersection and you’re not prepared to deal with it,” Herman said. “At this point in time, I think any effort you would make would be considered proactive.
“I’m sure if we give them access to the cavity, we can stick something in there and take a look around.”
Council members Kim Fox and David Croyle agreed with Herman’s suggestion before a unanimous vote by the eight council members.
“There’s no way we can give (PennDOT) an answer right now,” Fox said.
“If M&B Services was interested in (opening the trench) with the fact that the camera’s here, sounds like a win-win situation at this point,” Croyle said. “We need to know what that hole is.”
A suggestion was to provide ground-penetrating radar on-site, but it was determined that that idea would not be effective since ground around the void may also be unstable.
Sewage Authority Chair Peter Graff still thought PennDOT should assume some cost.
“Everyone has skin in the game here – including PennDOT – and I think they should share in the some of the expense,” Graff said
GeoMechanics, Inc. Company President Dr. Javaid M. Alvi estimated repairs could be completed in two days for about $30,000.
Armstrong County Department of Planning and Development Assistant Director Carmen Johnson said Streetscape grant funding could be accessed to pay for the repairs, but the money would take away work on other projects.
“Due to the nature of the location in close proximity to the river, this is not uncommon, and we happened to stumble across it,” Herman said.
A storm sewer in the immediate area is also in disrepair, but Herman thought it was unrelated to the hole found.
Traffic will be restricted at the intersection and along South Water Street while crews conduct tests today and tomorrow.
Kittanning Borough | jweaver November 17, 2015
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