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Union City council approves emergency repairs after sinkhole opens on East High Street
Summary
After sinkholes and a collapsed galvanized storm pipe were found on East High Street, the council authorized contractor Mansfield to replace the failed section for $14,500 and to open and inspect a municipal lot sinkhole for up to $6,000.
Union City Borough Council voted July 9 to authorize immediate repairs to a failing stormwater pipe and two sinkholes after a contractor’s camera inspection found a long run of deteriorated galvanized pipe beneath East High Street.
The action came after resident Anthony Hickey told the council that stormwater running from East High onto Bridge Street floods his building during heavy rains. Hickey said he had contacted PennDOT, the borough and Representative Jake Banta’s office and that "there is no crown on Bridge Street." Solicitor Tim Wachter cautioned that while the state should be responsible, "the state should fix it but they most likely won’t," and said the drainage issue has existed for years.
Streets Supervisor Bob Phillips reported a sinkhole about 3 feet wide and 8 feet deep in the backyard of 98 East High Street. A camera inspection found the first 50 feet of pipe was cement and in good condition but the next roughly 90–100 feet consisted of galvanized pipe whose bottom had failed; the inspection camera fell into the failed section and could not be retrieved. Mansfield quoted $14,500 to replace the failed galvanized segment with plastic pipe; council approved the repair in a motion by Councilor Steadman, seconded by Councilor Kerns, recorded as carrying unanimously.
Council also authorized Mansfield to cut the concrete and open a hole in Municipal Lot #1 to determine the underlying problem, approving spending up to $6,000 after first soliciting a price and availability from McLallen Construction. The motion to open and clean the municipal-lot hole was moved by Councilor Steadman, seconded by Councilor Osborn, and carried unanimously.
The borough will oversee the repairs and follow up on related drainage complaints, including separate resident questions about Putnam Street flooding. The council did not set a public timeline for full restoration beyond the contractor’s work order; staff said topsoil and grass seed washed out after recent stabilization work at Bentley Run and would be replaced.
