On Saturday May 18 from 10 AM to 2 PM The Army Corps of Engineers and Emsworth Borough will be hosting a Lockfest at the Emsworth Lock and Dam. It will be a fun, family friendly day. Come learn about water safety, check out emergency response vehicles such as Emsworth’s newest fire engine, Ohio Township Police Dept and Northwest EMS vehicles. The Famous Pittsburgh Smokehouse Food truck will also be participating. So bring the family down to enjoy delicious food and learn about keeping our communities safe. Hope to see you there!

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing inspection activities on the bridge that carries Route 65 (Ohio River Boulevard) over Spruce Street in Ben Avon Borough, Allegheny County will begin Monday, April 29 weather permitting.

Single-lane restrictions will occur in each direction on Route 65 for bridge inspection activities.  Restrictions will occur weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Friday, May 3. Restrictions will not occur in both directions simultaneously.

Crews from the The Markosky Engineering Group, Inc. and the Sofis Rigging Company will conduct the inspection activities.

Motorists should be prepared for changing traffic patterns. Please use caution when driving through the area.  Work zone safety is everyone’s responsibility.

Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 860 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

Due to necessary pipe testing and repairs for the Buckeye Pipeline that runs through Avon Park, the park will be closed beginning Monday, April 22 until early June. Because of the extensiveness of the project, Ben Avon Borough Council determined it was in the best interest for the safety of our children and area residents to close the park during this work.

Please stay tuned for updates as they become available and we hope to have the park open for summer fun as quickly as possible but it will be dependent on the work of Buckeye. If you have any questions, please contact the Borough office at (412) 766-7704 or benavon@benavon.com.

Now that the days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer, construction projects may be on your mind.  Please be mindful of Ben Avon’s ordinances before you beginning any construction.  If you are unsure, please call the Boro Office, 412-766-7704, for assistance.

Because even relatively minor excavation activities like landscaping or fencing can cause damage to a pipeline or utility lines, always contact the 811 One-Call Center before engaging in any excavation, construction, farming or digging. Most states require 2 working days notice to the One-Call Center to allow the utility operators to mark their pipelines and utilities at your proposed digging site.

One easy FREE phone call to 811 starts the process to get your underground pipelines and utility lines marked.  Once lines have been marked for your project, you will know the approximate location of your pipelines and utility lines, and can safely dig.  More information regarding 811 can be found at www.call811.com.

Ben Avon is looking for a few good residents to serve as volunteers with the Avonworth Municipal Authority – the overseeing authority for the Avonworth Community Park which provides a variety of recreational and social amenities to the five communities within the Avonworth district. There are several committee opportunities to be involved with including the Pool committee, Maintenance, Public Relations, Facilities, etc. For more information on the AMA and Park opportunities, visit https://www.avonworthcommunitypark.org/avonworth-municipal-authority.

If you are interested in donating your time and services, please contact the Ben Avon Borough office at benavon@benavon.com or (412) 766-7704.