The Department of Environmental Protection Friday announced it has authorized an emergency contract to stabilize and repair River Drive in Patton Borough, Cambria County, which was damaged by a large unforeseen flow of mine drainage on February 21.
The flow of mine water from the former Patton Clay Manufacturing Company No. 1 Mine damaged an existing mine drainage conveyance tunnel under River Road. The damage was significant enough to cause a large hole in the road surface.
The Borough of Patton closed the roadway, but the site poses a danger to trespassers and adds a seven-mile detour for residents and emergency vehicles.
The emergency contracting authorization allows DEP to immediately gather estimates, choose the most qualified bidder to begin the work to restore the drain, backfill the hole and repair the roadway.
DEP expects work will begin in April and will take about two weeks to complete.
Without DEP’s emergency contract the burden of addressing the problem would have fallen to Patton Borough and any affected property owners, or the project would have taken at least eight months longer if the department added this to its queue of existing projects.
“Because the site conditions pose a safety threat and the road closure could add precious minutes to emergency response time, we are prioritizing this project for immediate repair,” said Eric Cavazza, P.E. Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation Director.
The original mine drainage structure was constructed in the 1920s and the Upper Kittanning Coal Seam was mined prior to 1936. The mine drainage conveyance tunnel directs mine drainage from the No. 1 Mine and storm water under the roadway.
Questions should be directed to Lauren Fraley, DEP Southwest Regional Office, 412-442-4203 or send email to: lfraley@pa.gov.
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