20-05-2025
Cambria County Conservation and Recreation Authority talks test site for washout prevention
EBENSBURG, Pa. – A section of hillside neighboring the Path of the Flood Trail may soon become a test site for a new bonding agent to avoid washouts, Cambria County Conservation and Recreation Authority Executive Director Cliff Kitner told the board Friday.
The authority had been approached by Greg Turjan, of OFB USA, regarding a binding agent the group is working on. Turjan declined to comment Monday, citing ongoing development of the product.
Kitner was excited by the prospects of the binding agent and said the test site may be the Stineman section of the Path of the Flood Trail in the South Fork area.
'We all know we get washouts on that hill all the time,' he said.
Kitner added most rail-trails are built parallel to streams, which is why the CCCRA paths were attractive to Turjan.
The CCCRA-maintained trails have historically dealt with issues of washouts and costly repairs.
The authority is still working through the building phase of a Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and Federal Emergency Management Agency project to fix damage from Hurricane Debby during summer 2024.
Board member Steve Gironda raised concerns about the water diverted by the product having to go somewhere and potentially causing more issues. Kitner said that as long as the water will stay off the trails and go into the drainage ditches, it can be managed.
Although details about Turjan's products were few, the group did state the agent is claimed to be environmentally friendly and would be tested in July or August on a roughly 100-foot section of the hill.
Throughout the meeting, Kitner also provided several updates about regional projects, such as the work to repair sections of the Ghost Town Trail. He told the board that the authority had completed its requirements and now it's up to the federal officials to rubber-stamp the work.
At this time, the repair plans are still considered to be in development.
As for the final section of the pending Ghost Town Trail loop, which will be the only rail trail loop on the East Coast when finished, Kitner said contractors plan to start that project this week with a deadline of Nov. 30.
The board awarded that work to Kukurin Contracting Inc. in April at a cost of nearly $3 million. That includes almost a mile of trail and construction of two pedestrian bridges over roadways.
Other discussion during the meeting included the use of Cambria County Prison inmate work crews.
Kurt Wolford, prison warden, and Assistant Deputy Warden of Finance and Facility Services Megan Bursky attended the gathering to offer the assistance of those at the jail for maintenance and other work on the trails.
Thomas Kakabar, CCCRA board chairman, asked if the groups were geared more toward manual labor or skilled trades. Wolford said more manual labor at this time, but his goal with the program is to teach inmates a skill that can help them succeed once they are back in society.
Typically, trades trainings take place at the state and federal corrections levels, and Wolford said he aims to mirror those offerings to help prisoners rehabilitate and become productive members of society.
The board members were in favor of working with the prison in the future.
