Dangerous sinkhole shuts down section of Monessen roadway

DEP officials confirmed the void is the result of mine subsidence, and the resulting sinkhole is at least 12 to 15 feet deep.

By LADIMIR GARCIA lgarcia@yourmvi.com

Monessen Mayor Ron Mozer is shown at the site of a large sinkhole on State Road. City workers determined the hole extended 12 to 15 feet deep, prompting the city to close that section of the road on Saturday. Jeff Helsel / Mon Valley Independent

Monessen Mayor Ron Mozer declared a local disaster emergency Tuesday after the city discovered dangerous mine subsidence beneath a section of State Road over the weekend.

According to Mozer, the issue was discovered after a sinkhole appeared in the roadway.

After investigating, city workers determined the hole extended 12 to 15 feet deep on Saturday.

On Monday, officials from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection confirmed there was a “subsurface void” caused by past mining activity.

“Our number one priority is the safety of the public and our city workers,” Mozer said. “As soon as we identified the risk, we took immediate action to secure the site, notify the proper agencies, and begin emergency response planning.”

The emergency declaration initiates local emergency response procedures, including the purchase of materials and services without the usually required bidding procedures. Such declarations are reserved for emergencies that require immediate action beyond the scope of normal city operations.

The DEP will be providing the city with all the required stone to fill the hole, but the city is responsible for the actual hands-on work. Mozer, however, said that the city plans to have a local contractor begin compaction as soon as today.

The funds for the project will come from the city’s escrow account, meaning that it will have no impact on taxpayer rates and other city projects, according to Mozer.

After they found the hole, the city did contact Penn-DOT, but they determined that the section of the road affected by it is beyond the limits of their responsibility.

The sinkhole measures approximately 10 feet by 15 feet wide and up to 15 feet deep, requiring more than 100 tons of stone to fill it. Mozer said the city engineer will monitor the work to ensure the future stability of the road.

“We’re grateful no one was hurt,” Mozer said. “This situation is part of our region’s industrial legacy, and we’re committed to addressing it head-on with professionalism and urgency.”

The city is still determining whether to restore the surface level of the road with temporary patching or permanent paving. Until the issue is resolved, State Road will be closed between Pennsylvania Boulevard and state Road 906, as per PennDOT orders.

Mozer said that this has been an ongoing issue for the city for a long time and will most likely continue to be for years to come.

“We’ve had mine subsidence in the past, but never on a major road like this,” Mozer said. “But yeah, the whole city is undermined with coal mines. The whole city. There is not a person in this town who shouldn’t have mine subsidence insurance.”

Other surrounding communities, like North Belle Vernon and Washington Township, have faced issues with mine subsidence and are now working on relief projects. The Pennsylvania DEP offers mine subsidence insurance for residents because standard homeowners insurance usually doesn’t cover it.

For more information about mine subsidence insurance, go to https://www.pa.gov/ services/dep/apply-for-department- of-environmental- protection-mine-subsidence- insurance.