Weather delays repaving of street after waterline replacement
Residents of Fifth Avenue in Butler have not been able to park their vehicles on the street since work on a pipe replacement project by Pennsylvania American Water began last month and weather delays have held up the process.
Ronald Thompson, a resident of Fifth Avenue, said the water company tore up the road for a project in mid-August but did not let residents know when the street would be repaved. He and other residents have had to find other places to park in the meantime.
“No parking” signs remain on the street, but some vehicles have returned to the curb after a few weeks of no paving.
Thompson also has concerns about the amount of space between the curb and where the water company cut off the street.
“We've gotten no action for two weeks,” Thompson said. “When they mill the street, they're supposed to mill up to the curb. They're about 8 or 9 inches to the curb. That's going to back the water up.”
Lauren Camarda, external affairs manager for Pennsylvania American Water, said Thursday, Aug. 27 the project replaced a waterline dated in the 1940s with a new 8-inch ductile iron main. The approximately $440,000 project included all 900 feet of main on Fifth Avenue from New Castle Street to Pillow Street, which serves 29 customer connections.
“The project is complete and restoration is ongoing but experienced delays due to weather,” Camarda said. “The base restoration has been completed, and our contractor estimates final overlay in the next one to two weeks.”
