$13M project to address landslide risks in Pittsburgh's Mt. Washington

Pittsburgh is spending $13 million on a project that officials say will reduce landslide risks in Mt. Washington.

The neighborhood has endured several significant landslides in recent years, with debris falling onto streets or walking paths where hillsides are unstable. City are focusing the latest project on three areas that are the most landslide prone.

“It’s really critical for both the individuals that live in those areas that potentially may be impacted in the future by disasters or landslides, but also for the critical infrastructure, the rail lines, the routes, the roadways,” said Randy Padfield, director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.

Work is expected to start this winter, said Eric Setzler, the city’s chief engineer. The three areas where work is to occur include:

• Greenleaf Street. In 2018, a landslide on Greenleaf Street spilled debris onto Saw Mill Run Boulevard.
• Reese Street, south of West Carson Street. Slope movement there could potentially impact the Emerald Park Trail, city officials said.
• William Street, above Arlington Avenue and P.J. McArdle Roadway. There have been several landslides along William Street in recent years, resulting in road closures and leading to one house in the area being condemned, officials said.

About $10 million in federal funding is being used for the $13 million project, Setzler said.

Setzler said the landslide remediation work is particularly important given that five decades worth of data show that Pennsylvania is experiencing more significant precipitation events, which can increase landslide risks.

“The challenge is there’s more in the future,” Padfield added. “Understanding how our climate is changing and understanding what we need to do to be able to adapt to that, to be able to build more resilient communities is really critical.”