Crafton Borough Council discussed but did not approve a proposed change order to make the top portion of the Chartiers Creek (spelled "Chartiers"/"Chartiers Creek" in the transcript) Trail ADA-compliant.

Engineer Dean introduced a change-order request from A. Morante (also referenced in discussion as Amarante/Marante) tied to the Broadhead Sewer Separation Project. Dean said the request would change the top portion of the trail to an 8% grade and pave it, at an estimated cost of $61,825. Dean and Manager Price characterized the contractor's offer as substantially less costly than a standalone bid for the same work.

Council members pressed staff on due diligence. One council member asked, "What kind of engineering or studies or analysis has been done to ensure that it's being put in the right place and that it's going to be stable?" Manager Price replied that the only review to date was a high-level planning review by GAI/Gateway and that no soil tests or full geotechnical analysis had been completed. A council member proposed conditioning acceptance of the change order on written engineering standards, inspection and demonstration of compaction and lift testing.

Discussion also noted environmental and permitting constraints: filling lower portions of the trail would likely trigger DEP permits because work would enter the floodplain, so the proposed change addresses only the top portion now and leaves lower portions for later when additional funding and permitting are secured. Council members urged consultation with the trail committee and the trail project consultant before final action.

After debate over technical safeguards, committee input and schedule trade-offs (including the prospect of a future DCNR 50% match), no motion was made and the item was left for further vetting with an anticipated decision point by the Dec. 11 meeting. Manager Price warned the contractor's current work will leave the trail in an unfinished state for several weeks unless direction is given.

Next step: staff to obtain engineering recommendations, written contract protections/inspection language and trail-committee review before the council considers the change order again.