Ross Township and West View Weather Superstorm Sandy with Few Problems

However one neighborhood, plagued by flooding issues, did not escape.

While most Ross Township residents awoke to electricity in their homes, and few if any flooding problems, residents living along Little Pine Creek were dealing with a familiar and frustrating problem. Despite several attempts by the township to correct the problem, Monday night's heavy rains caused the sewers to back up into several yards along Amity Road.  "Again we can't use our bathrooms or run water because nothing can go out of the house," said Robert Michael, one of the homeowners. "The creek is not over the banks, yet this problem persists." The residents acknowledge that the township has tried several solutions, including the installation of check valves and sealing some of the sewer lids, but heavy rains continue to trigger the …

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Ross Residents Complain of Persistent Sewage Overflows near Little Pine Creek

Several homeowners say they can't flush their toilets, take a shower, or launder their clothes when the creek rises from heavy rains.

Owners of half dozen homes along Little Pine Creek in Ross Township say the township could and should do more to fix the problem of over-flowing sewage in their back yards after heavy rains.  Sue Calvert has lived at 203 Amity Road for 38 years.  “We can't use our toilets when the water is high,” she said. “ It gets in our property, it's unsafe to be on your land and you can smell the sewage. We shouldn't have to live with sewage in our back yards and in our homes.”  Calvert’s neighbor, Sharon Michael experiences the same headaches.  “I also can not use my restroom, my laundry or any facilities when the water is up. I have animals, so I have raw sewage in my yard,” she said. “My property value is suffering for it. I'm paying the taxes that…

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Thompson Run Road Bridge Reopens

There will be occasional lane restrictions for next week.

After 10 months, the Thompson Run Road Bridge just south of Amity Road reopened today. But traffic may still back up for the next week or so. The Allegheny County Department of Public Works said there will be occasional single lane closures between 7:00 am and 5:00 pm as the contractor cleans up the site around the new bridge. The bridge has been closed since July 5 for what was supposed to be a four-month project. Residents have repeatedly expressed their frustration with the increased traffic along residential streets closest to the project. “It’s been a series of unfortunate events,” said Douglas Aiken, Manager of Construction Engineering for the Allegheny County Department of Public Works. “Last fall, we had unprecedented rains, and …

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Letters to the Editor:

Letter: Bridge Project on Thompson Run Continues Without Acceptable Traffic Plan

Ross Township resident Ben Hess says traffic and safety issues must be addressed in neighborhoods near the Thompson Run Road bridge closure, especially now that the bridge is expected to be closed through the spring.

Thompson Run Road has been closed to traffic just south of the Amity Road intersection since early July. Although the project was supposed to be finished last month, county officials now say the project has been delayed until next spring. According to a Post-Gazette article published last week, wet weather and poor runoff in the area has delayed the contractor. The following letter in response to that news was submitted by Ross Township resident Ben Hess.  Having lived in the neighborhood now for more than 15 years, I travel along Amity Road each and every day. While my home does not sit along Amity Road, I can echo what Marsha Logan states about what she has witnessed from vehicles who disregard the "official" detour and instead chose to …

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