[PRCo] Re: Millvale Car House

[Ken & Tracie]

Don't get me started on short sighted planning and flood control, Matt...

....that letter writer needs to visit parts of Las Vegas or Milwaukee to see how some planners ignore the concepts of both REGIONAL flood control and large area topography studies.

K.

-----Original Message-----
>From: Matt Barry <mrb190 at pitt.edu>
>Sent: Aug 12, 2007 9:12 PM
>To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>Subject: [PRCo] Millvale Car House
>
>This was a letter to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette August 11, 2007.  Millvale folks have had to endure much flooding over the last few years.  This is this writer's opinion, and I found it of interest to this group because of his mention of the Millvale Car House.
>
>
>When I lived in Millvale in the 1950s the streets and the creek that run parallel to Grant Avenue used to drain directly into the Allegheny River. That is until the know-it-alls built the Allegheny Valley Expressway connector between Millvale and the Allegheny River (the Route 28 bypass around Millvale). 
>
>When they built this connector they turned Millvale into a New Orleans-type bowl that blocked rainwater from readily accessing the Allegheny River. All of the streets, Maryland, Lincoln, Meade, etc., were blocked, angled and diverted to meet at or near the river side of Grant Avenue. 
>
>Massive walls, ramps, etc., were constructed and the creek "enclosed" at the river end of Millvale such that rainwater could not easily flow through to the river. The Pittsburgh Railways' street car barn used to sit on East Ohio Street just above river level so that the rainwater could drain through it. The river terrain was elevated to such a height and the creek drainage was enclosed in such a manner that minimal drainage could take place. Thus, Millvale was turned into a "bowl." 
>
>The government, whether it be state or federal, should be required to modify this effect. They can lower the ramps to the old East Street level, cut tunnels under the ramping areas from the streets to the river, install massive pumping systems to move great amounts of water out of Millvale and increase the size of the creek's tunnel to the river to correct this problem. 
>
>The bureaucrats and the engineers who built this ill-conceived bowl-like effect at Millvale should have to pay the millions it will take to rectify this problem. 
>
>
>FRANK WM. MOORE
>Mars
>
>