Pittsburg, PA
Springdale residents prepare for demolition of 100-year-old trestle bridge over busy road
SPRINGDALE, Pa. (KDKA) — Pittsburgh Street is the main artery connecting Cheswick to Springdale, but some traffic woes are on the way as crews prepare to remove a 100-year-old trestle bridge.
“It was an original trestle when they brought coal cars down from the old coal mines on top of the hill that fed the old Colfax station down by the river, before the Cheswick power station. Since the 1970s, it’s been used for a pipe bridge for transport of ash and water from the site across Pittsburgh Street,” Miller said.
At a town hall meeting on Thursday night, people who live in Springdale Borough had the opportunity to get some answers about the demolition plan and how it will impact them.
The owner and police said starting Nov. 13, Pittsburgh Street will be closed for at least five nights between Duquesne Avenue and Washington Street. It’ll make going between Cheswick and Springdale a bit of a chore from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
“We have all the major intersections covered, we have road barricades at all the endpoints, and we will have police there to direct,” Springdale Borough Police Department Chief Derek Dayoub said.
Sgt. Fred Hockenberry told KDKA-TV that police will block the intersections and sidewalks during the closures. He said the work is happening at night because Pittsburgh Street has major traffic during the day, including truck traffic.
“With this being a major artery that goes right along with (Route) 28, we do get a lot, especially we have a few businesses,” Sgt. Hockenberry said.
Springdale Borough police hosted the town hall so residents could ask questions about the process, concerns and detours.
“How far can traffic go?” one resident asked in the meeting.
“Is there going to be excessive noise through the area that would cause issues for the residents?” another neighbor asked.
“When they brought down the smokestacks, there was a danger zone. Are there any danger zones dropping this trestle?” a community member said.
Sam Miller with Charah Solutions, which manages the property, told community members there will be no danger zone, but people should expect some construction noise.
“We’re planning on closing the road, putting protection down on the road, and then cutting up the bridge in pieces and taking it down piece by piece,” Miller said.
“We’re going to do it safely and we’re going to try to do it as efficiently as possible to minimize the effects to the community,” he added.
Sgt. Hockenberry said they have a plan to make sure there’s no impact on emergency response times.
“We did coordinate with Charah Solutions into using the backside of the plant for emergency vehicles to be able to go to and from the location if need be for medial, fire or police emergency,” Sgt. Hockenberry said.
The trestle removal project is part of the demolition process at the old power station. Miller said Charah Solutions hopes to sell after cleaning up the property to industrial standards.
A man from Fayette County has been arrested and is facing over 1,000 charges related to alleged animal cruelty and neglect.
Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele said that John Saxberg, 57, is facing charges in connection with what he called “a suspected illegal kennel operation” in Washington Township.
According to DA Aubele, Saxberg is accused of subjecting numerous animals to “deplorable conditions” and “circumstances constituting torture,” adding that approximately ten animals suffered serious bodily injuries.
Court records show that Saxberg is facing 1,029 criminal charges in total with offenses including aggravated cruelty to animals, cruelty to animals, neglect of animals, penalties related to dog licensing, and violations of vaccine requirements.
52 of the charges that Saxberg is facing are felonies, according to court records.
Online court paperwork shows that Saxberg was arraigned on Tuesday afternoon and is being held in the Fayette County Prison after bail was posted at $85,000.
A preliminary hearing for Saxberg is scheduled for late next week.
An Allegheny County park with 200-year-old trees has been added to a growing network of protected and publicly accessible old-growth forests.
Local leaders announced on Tuesday that Hartwood Acres is now part of the Old-Growth Forest Network, which consists of over 340 forests, though this is Allegheny County’s first.
The 692-acre property features a Tudor mansion built in 1929, and while about a quarter of the park is maintained, the other 75% is forested. Some of the oldest trees include a black oak that’s over 200 years old, and a sugar maple and red oak that are nearing 200 years old.
“Hartwood Acres is one of Allegheny County’s greatest natural treasures, and this designation recognizes both the ecological value of these forests and the generations of stewardship that have protected them,” Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato said in a press release. “As we work to build an Allegheny County where everyone can thrive, that includes ensuring residents have access to clean air, green spaces, and the opportunity to connect with nature close to home.”
The Old-Growth Forest Network, founded in 2012, aims to create a national network of protected, mature and native forests that are accessible to the public. The goal is to preserve at least one forest in every U.S. county that can sustain a forest.
“The importance of the preservation of these rare forests cannot be overemphasized,” said Brian Kane, the Mid-Atlantic regional manager with the Old-Growth Forest Network. “As seen at Hartwood Acres, forests perform critical environmental services that benefit communities, such as storing carbon, providing wildlife habitat, and retaining stormwater. OGFN is grateful that Allegheny County values its old-growth forests and will enable its residents and visitors to marvel at these old hardwoods far into the future as they grow even more mature and majestic.”
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