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Block of Locust Avenue to remain closed

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Drivers who use Locust Avenue between Ridge and Sumner avenues will continue to use a detour as the street remains closed for the foreseeable future as work continues on the Route 19 corridor project in Washington.

The area was expected to be closed for about three weeks when work began Oct. 28 as part of the reconstruction along the corridor in the area of Murtland, Ridge, Highland and Locust avenues.

“It will stay closed indefinitely,” Scott Faieta, assistant construction engineer for the state Department of Transportation, said Thursday. “We are finding some things underground with utilities and have to make some adjustments in the field.”

Faieta said residents in the area have been notified and have been understanding.

“At least the detour is only a few blocks,” Faieta said.

After removing construction barriers on Ridge and Murtland when sidewalks and curbs were completed last month, barriers are back up and traffic again shifted so Pennsylvania-American Water Co. can work on the water line in that area. Faieta said drivers can also expect intermittent stoppages in that area and some delays.

Motorists going through that area can expect to see demolition work in the next few months on four buildings, including the former Highland Bar and Grill, an old gasoline station and two houses.

“We did get the asbestos report back,” Faieta said. “There was none in the bar, but some in the other three buildings. The contractor (Zottola Construction) has a firm on board to start removing the asbestos on Dec. 4. That should continue through the end of the year and then the demolitions will start.”

Steve Zottola of Zottola Construction said the demolitions will go quickly once the work starts.

Some other work will continue during winter if weather permits, including work on traffic signals.

Work on the project is expected to be done in late October.

Faieta said work on the College Street portion of the project has been completed with the exception of some minor work at the intersections with Wheeling and Beau streets.

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