West Carson Street to remain closed until next week for landslide cleanup

PITTSBURGH — West Carson Street on Pittsburgh’s South Side will remain closed until at least next week as cleanup continues after a landslide early Tuesday morning, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation officials announced Wednesday.

A large boulder fell onto the road shortly before 4 a.m. Tuesday. Some of the debris struck a car that was driving past.

“My friend said, ‘Look out,’ and it was too late," Rich Roberto said. “It was a big huge cloud of smoke. I couldn’t see anything.”

Roberto’s car had front-end damage, and the impact caused the air bags to deploy. Roberto and his passenger were not hurt.

West Carson Street was closed between the Fort Pitt Bridge and Station Square along with the train tracks while crews worked to remove tons of rock, dirt and trees and to secure the hillside. By midafternoon Tuesday, geotechnical engineers decided it was safe to reopen the train tracks, but Norfolk Southern Railway officials said something needs to be done to prevent future landslides.

“We have serious concerns about this area. This is about the fourth or fifth slide we've experienced in the last month and a half,” Dave Pidgeon of Norfolk Southern Railway said.

Channel 11 News learned that Norfolk Southern railroad workers were working in the area at the time of the landslide, but it was not immediately known what caused it.

"I do know that about a month ago, the railroad explored a permit for the use of explosives to take down some rock, so we need to see if it's in that area or what led to this collapse," Pittsburgh Public Works Director Mike Gable said.

Another issue is determining who owns the cliff where the landslide occurred.

Channel 11 News learned Wednesday that Norfolk Southern Railway, which owns the tracks but not the hillside, has not been able to find the owner of the cliff.

City officials aren’t claiming ownership of the hillside and surrounding slopes – at least not yet – telling Channel 11 News: “We cannot yet confirm the owner of the property. The city has not been excluded as a possible owner.”

As of Tuesday evening, crews had removed 200 tons of debris from West Carson Street, but the road remained closed. Officials originally said they expected to reopen the street to traffic by 3 p.m. Wednesday. But due to slope instability, the road will remain closed through at least Wednesday, July 6, and traffic will continue to be detoured until then.

Posted detour:

From West of the slide:              

• From Route 837 (West Carson Street), motorists will take the ramp to East I-376/North I-279 onto the Fort Pitt Bridge
• Follow I-376 (Parkway East) eastbound to the Forbes Avenue/Oakland (Exit 72A) off-ramp
• Turn left onto Craft Avenue
• Turn left onto Fifth Avenue
• Turn left onto the Birmingham Bridge
• Follow back to Route 837 (East Carson Street)
• End detour

From East of the slide:

• From Route 837 (East Carson Street), turn right onto South 10th Street and cross the bridge
• Turn right onto Second Avenue
• Turn left onto Bates Street
• Turn left onto the Boulevard of the Allies
• Take the ramp to West I-376 Downtown/Fort Pitt Bridge
• Follow I-376 (Parkway East) westbound to the Fort Pitt Bridge
• From the Fort Pitt Bridge, take the ramp to North Route 837/Route 51 West End
• End detour

Cox Media Group