How Public Works built a headwall

By Andrea Iglar

Stormwater improvements on McVey Street in the Sturgeon neighborhood are helping to prevent flooding onto neighboring property and the road.

This winter, South Fayette Township Public Works built a 6-foot-tall, 12-foot-wide headwall where a stream enters a pipe to cross underneath McVey Street.

A headwall is a type of retaining wall built at a pipe inlet to funnel water into the pipe, improve drainage, and support and protect the stream banks and roadway from erosion.

Workers also doubled the size of the inlet pipe from 15 inches to 30 inches to handle heavier water flow.

Public Works Director Butch Truitt said that prior to the work, the inlet had clogged, causing water to overflow into a neighbor's driveway and basement and flood the township-owned McVey Street.

“Most towns would contract this out, but our crews were able to get it done in-house,” Mr. Truitt said. “It saves us a ton of money.”

Earlier in the winter, crews also built two additional stormwater inlets on McVey Street to help collect water from the road.

The Story in Photos

Photos by Dan Dernosek

1 - Dig footer

2 - Build form for headwall

3 - Pour concrete from truck

4 - Finish concrete

5 - Remove the form once the concrete cures