Festivals face disruption

WARREN -- The city will try to schedule its storm and sanitary sewer separation project to minimize disruption of next year's summer downtown festivals, said Tom Angelo, water pollution control director.
But, he added, "There's a real possibility that the festivals could still be affected."
Equipment for the 12- to 18-month project was put in place Tuesday in the north end of the city, Angelo told city council. The work will be done by Utility Contracting Inc. of Youngstown.
If the project is on schedule, work will be under way on Market Street at Courthouse Square in midwinter, he said.
If the sewer work is still under way at Courthouse Square during the African-American Festival in June and the Italian-American Festival in August, it will be up to the festivals' steering committees to decide whether to relocate their events from Courthouse Square to the amphitheater in Perkins Park, he said.
Steering committee members from the festivals have visited and examined the amphitheater, Angelo said.
The separation project will occur in the city's north end, downtown and part of its east side, Angelo said. He added that his goal is to maintain traffic flow during construction, wherever possible.
Council appropriated $4.4 million for the sewer project, for which the city has been approved for an Ohio Water Development Authority loan.