Nearly 2 Years Later, Progress Avenue Hole Work to Begin

(Photo: Coal Region Canary)

Pottsville officials say that work on the damaged culvert under Progress Ave. is finally set to begin.

At least, all the money needed to complete the project is in place. And it only took about 2 years to get this far.

Progress Avenue Culvert Funding in Place for Pottsville to Move Forward

The underground stone culvert gave way during the historic flooding in August 2018. Floodwaters rushed from there to Union Station, submerging much of Progress Ave. and surrounding properties under several feet of water.

Since then, the city’s been forced to block off that section of Progress Ave., near the site of the former GIANT grocery store.

In the last two years, the city reached agreement with the property owners at the supermarket to divert Progress Ave. traffic through the parking lot.

Last week, Pottsville announced that after all this time, state and federal funding is in place to get the culvert fixed.

“City officials and administration are working closely with project Engineers to secure the required state permits and property easements that must be executed with adjoining property owners,” the city announced on its website on July 23.

Alfred Benesch & Co., the city’s engineering firm, is working on the bid details before work begins. Pottsville likely will put the project out to bid in August and it’ll award contracts in September.

Pottsville received money from both Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to get the project started.

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