Rainy weather would usually result in a puddle forming on a sidewalk near Pitt-Johnstown’s Biddle Hall parking lot, but maybe not anymore.

On Nov. 2, L&M Excavating of Johnstown dug up part of the sidewalk and installed a storm drain inlet, according to foreman Wesley McCoy.

“They were having trouble with water lying in here, so we put the drainage (inlet) in to take care of the water,” he said.

McCoy said workers had installed a 40-feet long, 10-inch pipe that connects the inlet to a storm drainage system, which is located underneath a manhole near Biddle Hall’s Education Division entrance.

Education Division office secretary Karen Clites said she is happy that campus officials have acted to fix the sidewalk’s puddle problem.

“It was much needed,” Clites said.

Finance and Administration Vice President Amy Buxbaum said the puddle was first dealt with in August 2017 when a sump pump was set in a wooded area and stones were set next to the sidewalk.

“This is the second project that we’ve undertaken in this area.

“We believe that the combination of all of these projects will provide a needed remedy (for) an area that has been a long-term issue on campus,” Buxbaum said.

The area of sidewalk that had been dug up was filled with dirt and covered with a layer of gravel over the first weekend in November.

Last Monday, McCoy and his crew uncovered the area and paved the sidewalk with cement. The sidewalk was able to be walked on starting last Tuesday.

Humanities Division office secretary Linda Coyle said some water still remained on sections of the sidewalk last Friday.

“Therefore, the problem has not been fixed,” Coyle wrote in an email.

Buxbaum said L&M Excavating was contracted to do the job because of their competitive market pricing and their ability to complete the work in a timely manner.

She said the work was necessary to manage the stormwater issue on a major campus walkway.

“In addition to being disruptive to pedestrian traffic during storms, these conditions led to an area that was susceptible to icing hazard and hastened deterioration of the concrete,” Buxbaum said.

“We’re excited to be able to improve this area, which is used daily by so many of our campus community members.”