News

May 9, 2008

Avoca works on control of flooding

RALPH NARDONE Times Leader Correspondent

AVOCA -- Borough officials reviewed the list of upcoming projects ready to go that will improve flood control, upgrade sewers and finish needed paving at Thursday night’s meeting.

The largest project due to start this summer is the $300,000 overhaul of the Mill Creek channel that runs under the borough’s railroad tracks, according to council President Joseph Satkowski. He hopes it will be completed by the fall and alleviate a history of flooding problems there.

The borough received a $210,000 state grant to help pay for it. The remaining $90,000 will be kicked in by the railroad companies that use the tracks, he said.

The borough will solicit quotes on repairing the concrete in the channel, said borough engineer Ben Sevenski. It is important the concrete be properly secured to avoid future deterioration, as well.

On the less expensive side, the borough authorized a $1,000 project to eliminate flooding for three residences on Parker Street, according to Councilman Frank Marriggi. A 12-inch pipe will be installed there, he said.

Also, a $30,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development will pay for paving the parking lot of the borough garage. Marriggi said the borough should move on that project soon because of cost increases for construction materials.

The next large-scale project the borough wants to take on involves splitting the sewer and storm drains on Hawthorne Street, according to Satkowski. The borough was denied state grant money from gambling proceeds and now will approach the Luzerne County commissioners for funding the $500,000 job.

In other business, the borough council commended police Chief David Homschek for the recent arrests of a burglary ring made in conjunction with police from Duryea. “The people feel safer today,” Satkowski said.

A resolution to modify the traffic signal at the corner of Main and McAlpine streets was authorized to accommodate new traffic patterns associated with a Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce industrial development in neighboring Duryea. Left-turn lanes and changes in the timing of the lights are involved, according to Reilly Associates, which represented the chamber.

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