By Justin Strawser
MOUNT CARMEL -Construction for the $14 million Shamokin Creek Flood Control Project is scheduled to begin Monday, Borough Council President Tony Matulewicz confirmed.
In an e-mailed letter to the borough, David R. Grey, project coordinator of community development with SEDA-Council of Governments, said the initial job conference took place April 15 between representatives of general contractor Don E. Bower Inc., the state Department of General Services (DGS) and the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and the project was ready to officially begin.
The contractor will have 1,050 days - 45 days short of three years - to complete the project, which means the completion date is scheduled for Feb. 29, 2016.
A job conference will be held every other Monday in Mount Carmel at the borough building at 10 a.m.
The project marks a 30-year effort to alleviate flooding of approximately 100 homes along Water Street and surrounding streets when Shamokin Creek experiences flooding.
Shamokin Creek is fed by two smaller streams that connect underneath North Pine Street near Francis Latovich Machine Shop. The water flows underground for three blocks until North Locust and East Water streets, which is where construction of new walls and fences will begin. Work will follow the creek for a mile to the Mount Carmel Township/borough line.
New bridges will replace existing ones at North Walnut and North Chestnut streets, but existing bridges crossing North Hickory and North Vine streets will remain.
On the Reading Anthracite property behind the Mount Carmel Area Silver Bowl and Stadium Car Wash at West Third Street, an open pool and levy system will be constructed with pillars to break the flow of the water.