Contractor: Water line relocation nearing end on Route 981 in Latrobe
Latrobe 981 utility work
Ligonier Construction crews hope to wrap up water line relocation work on Latrobe’s Lloyd Avenue during the week of Jan. 14, weather permitting.
The contractor has been working, on and off, since November — restricting daytime traffic to a single, alternating lane on a section of Lloyd south of Unity Street. The tie-ups have affected the main southern entrance to downtown Latrobe for those traveling on Route 981.
Steve Shaulis, project manager for Ligonier Construction, asked motorists to be patient. He noted his crew has had to search for some of the decades-old utility lines, which aren’t always located where they’re expected.
Workers also ran into underground rock as they were replacing two separate, smaller lines with a 12-inch line that now runs down the center of the street.
Latrobe Municipal Authority water and sewer lines are being relocated on the stretch of road to prepare for a PennDOT project this year that will replace the aging superstructure of a small bridge that carries Lloyd over Unity Run.
Work on the sewer lines was completed first. This week, crews were replacing individual service lines for affected water customers.
Most motorists don’t realize they’re crossing the bridge since it’s hidden from view and the stream passes through underground culverts on either side of the street.
According to PennDOT planners, construction on the bridge project should last for about 17 weeks, with a traffic detour required for just one weekend. The official detour will follow Industrial Boulevard and Routes 982 and 30 in Derry and Unity townships.
Jeff Himler is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jeff at 724-836-6622, jhimler@tribweb.com or via Twitter @jhimler_news.
Jeff Himler is a TribLive reporter covering Greater Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant Area and Derry Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on transportation issues. A journalist for more than three decades, he enjoys delving into local history. He can be reached at jhimler@triblive.com.
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