Landslide in Pittsburgh's West End could disrupt traffic throughout week

Streets in the area of a landslide that destroyed a house in Pittsburgh's West End Sunday are expected to remain closed for the rest of this week as crews work around the clock to remove tons of mud, rock and brush, officials said Monday.

The slide on Greenleaf Street destroyed a house owned by Beth Ann Butler and spilled onto a ramp leading to Route 51, West Carson Street and the West End Bridge. The ramp remains closed along with access from South Main Street in West End Village to those routes.

“(The slide) seems to have settled down at this point so now we're just working to remove the material,” said Karina Ricks, Pittsburgh's director of Mobility and Infrastructure. “I would estimate that (Route) 51 would probably be closed for the balance of the week.”

Ricks advised drivers to use alternative routes .

The slide began Thursday and city officials ordered Butler and her husband to evacuate Friday. They were permitted back into the home Saturday to retrieve essential belongings. No one was injured when the hillside collapsed Sunday afternoon. Since last week landslides have forced the evacuations of 11 city homes, all of which remained vacant on Monday.

The Butlers could not be reached for comment.

Co-workers at UPMC Mercy Hospital where Beth Butler works as an administrative assistant in the radiology department are raising money to help with her expenses. Community groups also are collecting household and personal care items at Ream Recreation, 321 Merrimac Street, Mount Washington, daily between 4-8 p.m., according to Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Theresa Kail-Smith of Westwood, who represents West End neighborhoods.

“Her home is completely gone,” Kail-Smith said of Butler. “They're devastated. She could barely talk to me without crying.”

Smith said the Red Cross is helping the couple find temporary housing. She said the city is plagued with landslide prone areas and is hoping for help from the state and federal government. Officials from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency were expected to visit the Greenleaf Street slide on Monday.

Two other streets in the city remain closed because of slides — Newton Street in South Side Slopes and Diana Street in Spring Hill, according to Tim McNulty, spokesman for Mayor Bill Peduto.

The city last week ordered evacuations of six homes on Goehring Street and Kenzig Avenue in Spring Hill and four on Broad Street in Garfield because of slides. The homes remain in danger because of unstable ground and residents are not permitted to occupy them.

All are staying in hotels or with friends or relatives, McNulty said.

Workers with Butler-based Frank Zottola Construction said the hillside on Greenleaf Street was sliding at a rate of 2 mph on Sunday. The company had three excavators dumping dirt onto trucks Monday afternoon with more equipment on the way.

“Right now, we're just trying to relieve the pressure so none of this goes down on the road,” said Bill Karwoski, a laborer, who was working at the top of the slide. Eric Zottola, the company's superintendent, estimated that 20 feet of debris in a swath 150 feet wide sat on top of Greenleaf. He said crews would work around the clock and estimated it would take 2,000 truck loads to clear the slide.

Ricks said the city would use a drone to gauge the extent of damage and estimate costs. She said no other homes in the area are in danger.

Slide debris is being trucked to landfills, Ricks said. She said Butler's house would have to go to a special landfill permitted for construction material. It's roof was the only thing distinguishable on top of a debris mound.

Michael Adams, maintenance operations engineer for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's District 11 headquarters, said the hillside continues to slide, but experts believe the worst is over.

“Not much more should be falling,” Adams said. “It should be stable for the time being, but real heavy rains down the road... There could be more coming down.”

Bob Bauder is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 412-765-2312, bbauder@tribweb.com or on Twitter @bobbauder.