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Emergency repairs begin on Cumberland Road sinkhole; UPMC contracted, town says liability unresolved
Summary
Council heard that a failed 36‑inch corrugated pipe under Cumberland Road caused an emergency sinkhole. UPMC contracted contractors to fix the pipe; town officials said they will help manage the repair but said legal responsibility remains to be resolved.
McCandless — The town began emergency repairs after a sinkhole opened on Cumberland Road near Babcock, council members heard Wednesday night.
Public works staff told the council the failure involved a 36‑inch corrugated metal pipe beneath the road that connects to multiple storm sewers and carries water from property formerly owned by UPMC toward a nearby pond. Public works said UPMC has contracted JetJack and Independent Enterprises to make the repairs and that crews began work the day of the meeting. "The repair should take approximately 10 days," the public‑works speaker told the council, adding the timeline is weather dependent.
A resident asked whether the town would be liable for any portion of the cost. Officials said the roadway was dedicated to the town in 2009 but that the failed pipe was not identified on the dedication exhibit. The town has notified UPMC and said UPMC agreed to begin the work under contract; however, officials cautioned that how costs and formal responsibility are resolved "is yet to be determined" and "we don't know how that's gonna play out until it plays out in the end."
Town staff said they offered to help manage the project on site with Gateway engineers to ensure the road is rebuilt to town standards and to retain some control over the work. Officials said, if the repaired installation meets town standards and formal transfer procedures are completed, the pipe could become McCandless infrastructure in the future. The public‑works speaker also noted corrugated metal pipe is an older material "not an accepted type of pipe that we would use under the road anymore" and that the failed section likely dates to a system installed prior to 1964.
Council moved the meeting into executive session to discuss the sinkhole and related litigation matters. On the record, staff cited pending cases in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas (case numbers recorded by the clerk). The town said it will continue to coordinate with UPMC and its contractors and provide status updates when available.
The council did not take a formal vote assigning financial responsibility at the meeting; officials characterized the current posture as active project management plus legal review.
