Oakmont seeks solution for Plum Creek

Oakmont officials tapped Harmony-based Sperdute Land Surveying to analyze Plum Creek and parts of nearby Oakmont Commons to help address storm water management issues.

The company was the lowest of six bidders for the work at just under $15,000.

Council approved the agreement via 6-0 vote at its Monday night meeting.

Councilwoman Carrie DelRosso was absent.

“We’re looking for positive results so we can move forward to making corrections that are needed,” council President William Benusa said.

The survey is the latest in response to devastating storms a few months ago. Storms in July wreaked havoc on the Commons and other Allegheny County neighborhoods.

Residents have attended council meeting since then, imploring Oakmont leaders to find flooding solutions.

Senate Engineering would use the data compiled by the survey with its models and test different scenarios, which include raising the elevation of the old Plum Creek railroad bed, and removing debris from what’s colloquially called “leaf pile park” near the Commons.

Borough Engineer Amber Yon and her team already started making models using data from the Pennsylvania Spatial Data Access, the state’s official public access open geospatial data portal.

Benusa said finding flooding solutions is a top priority, and it may take a few weeks to update the models once the survey is complete.

“We’re working diligently,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll get shovels in the ground by spring time, maybe even sooner.”

Borough Manager Scot Fodi said he’s worked with Sperdute on other projects, and they work expediently.