A ribbon-cutting event was held in June to recognize completion of the $1.053 million Thunderwood Drive flood mitigation project in an area of the Bethel Park community substantially impacted by major flooding in 2018.
The project consisted of a two-step approach.
First, 1,220 lineal feet of new 42-inch storm sewer pipe was installed, along with eight new manholes, to carry stormwater in a manner that frees up space in an existing pipe that runs behind local homes. Also, the existing pipe was rehabilitated from the inside as a proactive maintenance tactic against having to excavate and replace it.
The second phase involved creating a new swale, a 940-foot vegetated channel used in land development designs to divert stormwater runoff, to intercept the majority of the water that travels overland to the rear of area homes.
“As we move forward, it’s imperative that the swale stay intact,” Stacey Graf, municipal director of engineering, said. “Therefore, reminder cards will be sent out yearly to residents near the area reminding them not to dump in the swale and to keep it maintained. These efforts will help to mitigate the water in the rear of area properties and, hopefully, make a significant difference during large rain events.”
The project was funded through a Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority loan and a $100,000 H2O grant for flood control through the state Department of Community and Economic Development.
