‘Worst it’s ever flooded’: Residents on local street washed out by weekend storms

WASHINGTON, Pa. — Neighbors along Park Avenue say every time it rains, it floods, but never like it did over the weekend.

“This is the worst it’s ever flooded,” said neighbor Sonja Wilson.

She has lived along Park Avenue in Washington since 1991 and is used to flooding, but this Fourth of July was different.

“I was supposed to go to a cookout at my girlfriend’s house. I texted her. I said, ‘I’m not coming; I can’t get out of my driveway; we’re flooded,’” Wilson said.

Wilson was trapped inside her home for hours watching the water rise. She got worried when she saw some neighbors try to get out.

“He got stuck out there and had to back up, then he tried again, got stuck again and had to back up,” Wilson said.

It was a waiting game from 5:30 p.m. until around 10 p.m., when the water finally receded.

“We wasn’t allowed to take showers, flush the toilet, nothing and it didn’t get clear until 10 o’clock at night,” Wilson said.

Sunday, she was able to get out of her house but quickly went home when she saw another round of storms rolling through.

“I saw it coming down; I was like, ‘Ooh. It’s coming down hard’ and I said, ‘Let me get out of here so I can get out of my driveway,’” Wilson said.

Once again, the road flooded. This time, Wilson says it only took an hour for the water to recede. She says the situation is beyond frustrating.

“I’m hoping they can fix this so we won’t get flooded anymore,” Wilson said.

Park Avenue, also known as Route 18, is a state road. PennDOT has been working on a project this summer that is supposed to help.

“I thought when they put the new bridge down there, everything would work because it’s opened up, but now I see the sign. 7/13 - I guess they’re going to be down there working,” Wilson said.

PennDOT says it’ll install a new culvert, replacing the existing one that’s been there since 1928, which is intended to improve conditions.

On the other side of Park Avenue is Washington and Jefferson College’s Cameron Stadium. Some barriers were placed along the fence there.

Channel 11 reached out to the college to see what kind of damage there is from the weekend, but didn’t hear back.

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