“It’s sliding”: Etna residents voice concerns over crumbing street
Residents on one street in Etna are feeling forgotten. They say their street is crumbling, and the temporary fixes are causing safety concerns.
Vinny Rogone has been trying to get Weible Street fixed since he moved there three years ago.
“We could have a kid fall in there,” said Rogone. “It’s sliding. Rocks from the street are getting flicked into cars.”
Rogone pointed out a metal plate that’s currently covering a drain. He said it’s been like that for two years now.
“This is supposed to be an up-and-coming area, but the city has done nothing,” said Rogone. “We’ve asked for years, at least to pave the street and get this safe for everyone.”
While Channel 11′s Alyssa Raymond was interviewing Rogone, the borough’s department of public works arrived.
Etna Borough Manager Mary Ellen Ramage says it’s a tough time for municipalities. She says they’re understaffed. They haven’t had a public works director for nine months. They’re also down full-time and two part-time public works employees. Ramage also pointed out that paving is expensive, and there’s no grant money to do the work right now.
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“We pay our taxes,” said Rogone. “Use our taxes and get our roads done.”
Ramage say they’ll make repairing the drain cover a priority. It’s scheduled to be repaired.
“We have that mill down at the end of the road that has a big gaping hole in it,” said Rogone. “When we get a big storm or wind, that rust blows around all over the street, and no one is enforcing it.”
The borough is also looking for a new zoning and code officer.
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Rogone also pointed out that the old Blarney Stone restaurant is still vacant.
“All they did was put a fence around it,” said Rogone.
Ramage says there are currently no concrete plans to develop it. One thing that is making the property unappealing for redevelopment is that it sits in a flood zone, and there are stricter regulations to develop it.
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