AND ACTION! Construction Begins on Stormwater Projects in Four Mile Run

Two early action projects get underway this December in Schenley Park.
3D rendering of the Overlook Drive and Bridle Trail project areas within Schenley Park Pictured: Four Mile Run early action project locations.

In early December we will begin the construction of two green infrastructure projects that will help to manage stormwater within Four Mile Run, which encompasses Schenley Park and several Pittsburgh neighborhoods including Greenfield, Hazelwood, Oakland, Squirrel Hill and the Run.

These projects, two engineered drainage channels, are being built in Schenley Park along Overlook Drive and next to the Bridle Trail. They create a path where water can flow. Right now, stormwater is mostly unmanaged. It flows off the steep hillside from Overlook Drive to the Bridle Trail below and further downhill, where it causes flooding. It also causes the combined sewer system to overflow into downstream neighborhoods and properties. On the surface, the channels will resemble shallow ditches with sides sloping towards the center. At the bottom, a rocky bed will help slow down the flow of water, and an underground storage system will hold back excess rainwater.

The channels will provide a pathway where stormwater can lose momentum and will reduce the amount entering the combined sewer system during a storm. They will help to capture rainwater, reduce erosion in the park, and slow down water running from the top of Schenley Park to Naylor Street in Greenfield.

The projects were first introduced to the public in June 2019 and their construction will continue through early 2020. They are part of a larger plan to manage stormwater in Four Mile Run. The Four Mile Run Stormwater project is a tremendous undertaking by PWSA, City of Pittsburgh, and Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy to manage stormwater.

The construction of the drainage channels is one part of a much larger project. Other projects include the reconstruction of Panther Hollow Lake, regrading of Junction Hollow Valley, and restoring an outfall pipe along the Monongahela river.

These projects are still in their design phase, and we will present more information to Four Mile Run residents at a community meeting taking place on December 9, 2019. For more information about the Four Mile Run stormwater project, please visit 4MR.org