Boswell celebrates start of work to eliminate stormwater problems; sidewalks, street repairs to follow

David Hurst, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·2 min read

Apr. 23—BOSWELL, Pa. — A construction crew working along Ohio Street in Boswell exposed an underground creek, flowing five feet below the asphalt.

When heavy storms roll in, that creek becomes a torrent, sometimes washing out sections of road and filling basements, Boswell Borough Secretary Goldie Oberholser said.

Not for much longer, though.

Boswell Borough officials on Monday joined state Rep. Carl Walker Metzgar, R-Somerset, and state Sen. Patrick Stefano, R-Fayette, to mark the beginning of a long-awaited project to eliminate the borough's worst stormwater issues.

Once the multi-phase work is complete, the borough's biggest sidewalk and street repair project in years will follow, Boswell Borough Council President Larry Williams said.

"This," Williams said, pointing to a work zone, "is just the start of our project. ... It's big for us. It puts us back into the 21st century after dealing with problems from a system from the 1920s and 1930s."

Curry and Kepple Inc. contractor Ed Evans said crews started work near Atkinson Way and are working uphill. So far, many of the 18- to 24-inch pipes they have replaced have been damaged and hole-filled, he said. New 30-inch lines are replacing them.

Metzgar and Stefano were credited for helping secure $205,000 in Commonwealth Financing Authority funds.

Williams and Boswell Borough Council member Miranda Revak said a second phase of stormwater work is also funded to continue the work on Stonycreek and Center streets.

Revak said the borough will advertise for bids to add new sidewalks from North Star High School, 400 Ohio St., to Atkinson Way later this year.

"Kids use this area all the time to walk from school, but it's dangerous. They're basically on the berm of the street," Revak said.

Metzgar and Stefano recognized the safety concerns, they said.

"Like a lot of other small communities, Boswell's infrastructure is aged, and their population cannot afford to pay the cost to make corrections," Metzgar said, adding that the price tag could have bankrupted the 1,200-person borough without help.

The project will protect "lives and properties," he said.

Borough officials hope the streetscape will enhance the corridor and encourage new development, whether that means new residents or new businesses.

"Without infrastructure, there's not much you can do," Revak said.