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Turnpike Commission Responds To Flooding Complaints

MCDONALD (KDKA) --- The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission said it was working to restore erosion and sedimentation controls that were washed out by storms Tuesday night.

People in McDonald, Washington County said they've seen flooding multiple times this summer, but Tuesday was the worst so far.

Streets looked like rivers and brown muddy water flooded people's basements. Several businesses had flooded parking lots.

"Terribly frustrating. I really work hard here to keep this nice, but I'm ready to give up, to be honest with you. This is twice in a week," said resident William Stewart.

People in McDonald placed blame on a Turnpike project up the hill.

"Totally out of control," McDonald Council President Patrick Powell said Tuesday. "We've never had this problem before."

Powell blamed the expansion of the southern beltway by the Turnpike Commission. Efforts to hold the water back were match for Mother Nature Tuesday night.

"We probably didn't have the vegetation, the trees to hold back the water, and it came like we've never had it before in McDonald," Powell said. "We've never had flooding like this in the past."

In a statement Wednesday, the Turnpike Commission said some of its staff, employees from its construction contractor and disaster recovery personnel were on-site in McDonald late Tuesday night to assist neighbors and to begin the recovery process.

The Commission said its contractor did install the proper erosion and sedimentation controls that are compliant with DEP regulations, which require controls be sufficient to handle a two-year storm.

"It seems apparent that what we are dealing with here is more significant than that," the Turnpike Commission said. "We want to reassure neighbors that, if the PA Turnpike is responsible for damage, we will work to address and resolve it."

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