More than $750K needed to address Canonsburg flooding issue
Residents and business owners along the intersection of West Pike Street and McBurney Road in Canonsburg may have to wait a little longer for a permanent solution to the persistent flooding issues along the roadway.
The easily clogged drainage ditch that runs down a hill along McBurney Road from Chartiers Township into Canonsburg Borough has been a source of frequent frustration for local residents, as storms have caused the ditch to overflow and flood the area for years.
According to Canonsburg Borough Manager Jennifer Foster, a project scoped in 2021 estimated that it will take between $750,000 to $1 million to enact a comprehensive solution to the current drainage situation.
This would include revising three culverts along McBurney Road, expanding the diameter of the drainage pipe and repairing sections of the road adjacent to the ditch.
The borough received a $100,000 Washington County Local Share Account grant in 2024 for dredging and drain-cleaning services that paid for Robinson Pipe Cleaning to service the pipe following a storm and subsequent flood on Sunday.
According to Foster, the remaining funds from this award could be put toward the larger, permanent improvement project, but they will be used for temporary cleaning measures until officials from Canonsburg and Chartiers can agree on a joint project plan.
Representatives from the two municipalities met earlier this year to discuss the proposed project that was prepared by Canonsburg’s engineer, but were unable to find consensus.
The group met again last week following another flood earlier this month that renewed the group’s resolve to find a lasting solution to the flooding issue, she said.
Foster said the joint Canonsburg/Chartiers group will meet again after Robinson Pipe Cleaning staff complete a report on the current condition of the drainage pipe following the two recent storms.
Once the group can agree on a project scope, it will submit joint applications for local and state grant funding to finance the project, she said.
State grant programs typically operate in annual award cycles, so it could be well over a year until the group secures the necessary funding.
“Canonsburg will do whatever it is to make our residents comfortable,” Foster said.