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Clare Drive improvements, park access planned

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Washington officials visited South Strabane Township supervisors Tuesday to discuss the city’s plans to establish an emergency access road to Washington Park from Clare Drive.

Washington Mayor Scott Putnam and Councilman Ken Westcott said the access is something they’ve been wanting to do since 1997, when a large tire fire nearly stranded students at Washington Park Elementary, which is next to the park. The only current access road to the park and school is Dunn Avenue.

“We’re just looking for another way out of the park in case there’s an emergency,” Westcott said in an interview.

Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter

Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter

Residents on Clare Drive in South Strabane Township blame construction along Interstate 70 near the Beau Street exit for a landslide on their road.

Putnam explained to the supervisors the gravel entrance from Clare, which is in South Strabane, would be gated at both ends and used only by emergency personnel. He said it would not be open to the public, except for pedestrians who could get through the gate. The city hopes to connect the entrance to nearby nature trails in the park.

Westcott said after the fire, the city pursued this access road in 1999, but residents in the area were opposed to it, with concerns about added traffic.

“They didn’t support it, so we didn’t pursue it,” he said.

Supervisor Tom Moore also referenced that opposition and the 22 homes on Clare Drive he said could be affected.

“This is not a new issue,” he said. “I will be opposed to this.”

Since 1999, the property in that area has been annexed and the city now owns the property on either side of Clare, Westcott said.

“We’re trying to be here as good neighbors,” he told the supervisors.

The township’s engineer, Michael Sherrieb of KLH Engineers, said that in order for the city to connect the entrance to Clare Drive, it would need to get permission and a permit from the township.

“If you encroach into that township right-of-way with a road, that’s a connection,” he said.

Westcott said the city won’t seek a permit from the township because the city’s legal counsel has advised it isn’t necessary.

The state Department of Transportation would build the road at no cost as part of a deal made with the city stemming from the Interstate 70 widening project.

Lane Construction Corp., a Pittsburgh company contracted by PennDOT for the I-70 project, has agreed to give a large quantity of dirt to the city and to complete a project to fill in an area of the park behind the Stone Pavilion at no cost to the city. The project includes taking out some of the trees behind the pavilion, hauling the excess dirt into the area, filling in that valley to level it and building the access road to Clare Drive.

“That’s why it became a perfect time to bring this up again and do it,” Westcott said.

Sherrieb said a second access could have many benefits to residents on Clare.

“Right now, Clare Drive residents probably would love another way out,” he said, referencing a landslide that’s brought a section of the road down to one lane.

That portion of the road, which has been blocked off for the past few weeks due to land slipping, is scheduled to be fixed this week, “weather permitting,” according to township manager Brandon Stanick and public works director Russ Grego.

Stanick said the township engineer is looking into options for fixing the road, which had slides earlier this year.

Dennis Kitsko, a Clare Drive resident, said the road has had a “dip” in that area for the past five years. He said when PennDOT began the I-70 widening project and began removing trees and bushes near Clare, the land started sliding.

“I don’t think they were thinking about what the road was going to do,” Kitsko said. “If that road collapses, it’s going to slide right down into that basin. I don’t care how the township settles this with PennDOT, I just want it to get fixed.”

Stanick said PennDOT completed a “stabilization plan” on the slope.

“The slip conditions have been addressed,” he said. “Over the last three weeks, it has not moved.”

He said the township will work this week to level the road and fix the cracking.

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