Borough engineers and staff told council on Oct. 23 that multiple infrastructure projects remain active and that several construction deadlines are likely to shift because of utility scheduling and site conditions.

Broadhead sewer separation and paving: Engineer Larry Keenan said work on the Broadhead sewer separation project has required a 20‑foot trench in parts of Crafton Boulevard and that progress has been slower where crews encountered rock or needed deep trench boxes. The contractor has faced delays on Warren Street but is approaching the Lynnwood intersection; Keenan said the contractor will continue curb and sidewalk work and that the overall project completion date is currently estimated for October 2026. Keenan also reported that crosswalks and related ramp work at the Steuben–Dunkin intersection will be completed after final paving and ramp adjustments; the borough expects the paving schedule to shift due to extended Saturday work.

Preen (Pareen) Street grant and City of Pittsburgh resolution: A member of the public asked for an update on “Pareen Street.” Borough staff said the street project depends on the City of Pittsburgh passing a required resolution; staff reported email exchanges with city staff (Teresa Kell Smith) and noted the city solicitor’s recent resignation may have slowed the city’s processing. Borough staff told council they do not anticipate losing the grant — they estimated available time to use the funds is more than a year — and will keep the item on future agendas until the resolution is filed.

Public Works building and utilities: Keenan said the Public Works building itself is essentially complete but that the opening is likely to be delayed beyond an earlier Nov. 7 target while the borough schedules external utilities (Duquesne Light three‑phase electrical service, Pennsylvania American Water main extension and other connections). Keenan said the water main extension estimate from PA American Water is substantial (staff described an order‑of‑magnitude cost and said the borough is exploring lower‑cost lateral routing and potential in‑house public‑works assistance); the exact contractor quote and the available bond fund offset were not finalized but will be discussed at a future meeting.

Ponding, drainage and smaller repairs: Keenan reported an estimated $7,000–$9,000 to address a localized ponding issue at the Southeast Steuben–Duncan intersection by adjusting a ramp and repaving to improve drainage, and said a contractor has agreed to the bid price to make that correction. He said manhole‑to‑manhole lining and spotlighting contract work is underway or wrapping up across multiple streets and that student‑street paving is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 12 but may move later due to the extended work schedule.

Parks, Bocce court and LSA grant: Keenan said the new bocce court construction is about two weeks from finish, with concrete walls and drainage inlets installed; staff plan a savvy social post with photos of progress. Director Tedesco updated council on the LSA grant for Crafton Boulevard landscaping and EV charging; he said the grant is limited to a specific corridor and approved plant types; he also reported ongoing discussions with the school district about maintenance responsibility if plantings are installed on school property.

Why it matters: The sewer separation projects are multi‑year, multi‑million‑dollar efforts that shape paving, drainage and sidewalk work across Crafton; utility timing can delay occupancy of the new public‑works building and can increase capital costs if main extensions are required. Council and staff flagged the need to balance scheduling, budget and resident impacts as work continues.

Next steps: Staff will continue weekly contractor meetings, update the borough construction web page, pursue the City of Pittsburgh resolution for Preen Street, present utility cost options for the Public Works building at a future meeting, and keep paving and crosswalk dates under review.

Selected quotes

"The trench is 20 feet deep and takes quite a bit of time to get down there and move all the trench boxes in place and is one of the slower areas to get done," Engineer Larry Keenan said of Crafton Boulevard work.

"It appears that the city solicitor has resigned and left. ... I wouldn't say there's no risk, but there's a little risk of losing the grant money, because I think we have it for another year and a half at least," borough staff said when describing the Preen Street resolution pending in Pittsburgh.