State bidding takes place next week for the long awaited Sullivan Run flood control project in Butler.

Construction work is expected to begin in late summer or early fall. State survey crews will be working at the work sites in mid-June, said city engineer Joe Gray.

He said the Pennsylvania Department of General Services, the Department of Environmental Protection and city officials held a pre-bid meeting at the three construction sites in May.

The Department of General Services will accept bids for the project June 9 at 2 p.m.

Mayor Ben Smith said the project was initially proposed about 20 years ago and the city started working about three years ago to get it back on track and secure its share of the funding.

He said it's been frustrating to explain to residents why the project has taken so long to get started, but he's glad it is getting underway.

The city obtained $351,608 from the Butler County Infrastructure Bank for the project and has forwarded $252,860 to the state to cover its share of the $1 million to $2 million project cost.

The goal of the project is to remove impediments in the stream that contribute to flooding in the city's west end.

The work will involve removal of two culverts at the former Allegheny Axle Plant at the western end of Negley Avenue, replacing the bridge at West Brady Street and replacing the bridges at Miller Avenue and West Penn Street, combining them into one large culvert, Gray said.

He said work will begin with the removal of the culverts at the axle plant and then proceed upstream.

He said he believes it will take six months to complete.

“It takes years to plan and months to build,” Gray said.