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Broken Docks Cause For Concern Along Mon & Yough Rivers

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Pittsburgh area hasn't seen anything close to the devastation Hurricane Sandy caused along the East Coast. In fact, most of the fears of local officials were never realized.

However, that doesn't mean there aren't still some concerns. That includes two bridges on the Youghiogheny River that were shut down Tuesday after some docks broke loose.

The three boat docks could be seen this afternoon at the confluence of the Monongahela and Yough Rivers at McKeesport.

The docks that broke away are in some cases broken, and in all cases in a precarious position. They weren't strong enough to withstand the power and speed of the rushing water.

"A 20-foot pontoon boat that is currently tied to the main dock," said boat owner Bob Deluca. "They won't let us down there, and there's nothing I can do about it anyway. The river is way too fast for that boat."

More people could be affected if the docks break away and damage a bridge. Nobody is sure how long they'll stay where they are.

"We're not sure. It's just nature's way of fighting back at us, I guess, and telling us to get them out earlier or something, I don't know," said Ray Dougherty, the dock manager. "But yeah, we're not sure if they're going to hold up or not; we're just hoping that they will."

Meantime, Allegheny County knows it is fortunate the storm went north when it did. However, the Mon and Yough are still of concern.

"When you talk about the Monongahela, obviously what's happening in West Virginia could obviously impact that," said Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. "To have that much snow that they've had down there and then heavy rains on top of that could certainly effect what goes on in the Mon River."

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