Glen Campbell Borough
Stream Crossing Replacement Project

Indiana County, PA - There are only two roads leading into Indiana County. One of them frequently experiences washouts from flooding. Unfortunately, this roadway is a primary access route for residents and emergency personnel.

The original project called for the replacement of the existing damaged 30-inch terra cotta pipe with a 4-by-8 foot box culvert. This action would increase the hydraulic capacity of the culvert and reduce the amount of water backup experienced at this location during severe storms. But during the 18 months it took from conceptualization to start of construction, the price of some materials became cost prohibitive. The local community, State and Federal officials worked together to come up with a rescoped project that had a longer life and cost the same as the original project.

Instead of the 4-by-8 foot culvert that would have cost twice the estimated amount, the crossing was reconstructed with the original available funds. The local government added road surfacing and guardrails to their contribution to the project. The engineering firm that worked on the project agreed to forgo $750 of their original engineering budget to assist in finalizing the completion.

This was truly a project that reflects the intention to be a joint effort between various levels of government and the community to solve a problem that affects everyone. The 30 residents who live in the area served by the road no longer face near certain isolation when heavy rains cause high water in the area.

By using the combined technical resources of the Borough, State Mitigation Office, FEMA and the managing engineering firm, the project was rescoped to fit the budget and solve the problem. This joint effort resulted in a project with a more useful life and therefore, a greater benefit than the original.

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