Removing the abandoned boat sinking in Allegheny River is no easy task
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — An abandoned boat has been slowly sinking in the Allegheny River for months, irritating those who use the Riverfront Park or stroll its promenade.
But as KDKA investigator Andy Sheehan found out, getting it removed is no easy matter. All government agencies contacted by KDKA-TV said it's not their responsibility.
For the past seven months or so, Bob La Mar has been looking out of his 18th-floor window of the Gateway Towers at the sinking boat on the opposite shore, spoiling an otherwise spectacular view.
"We have an eyesore that detracts from the promenade that so many people frequent and enjoy," he said.
When all the other pleasure boaters left their moorings on the North Shore Riverfront Park last summer, one boat remained after the owner abandoned it for unknown reasons. After being encased in ice this winter, the stern filled with water, and the boat appears inoperable. But like other boats left in the past, there is no clear path to getting it removed.
"There are probably five agencies who you would think should have some interest in it, but nobody does," Mar said.
The city says it doesn't have jurisdiction nor does the Sports and Exhibition Authority, which oversees the Riverfront Park. Likewise, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers told KDKA-TV it's not its problem, while the U.S. Coast Guard says the matter should be handled by the state.
Only the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission promised some action. The commission said while the boat is not technically its responsibility, it will now try to get a resolution.
"We are aware of the boat and are working with the Sports and Exhibition Authority to help determine a course for its removal," it said in a statement to KDKA-TV.
The commission confirmed the owner has been contacted but is unwilling or unable to remove it. According to commission bylaws, a responsible agency can hire a salver to remove the boat and try to reclaim costs by selling the boat or billing the owner.
Passerbys like Lori Harmon would like it gone.
"It is a bit of an eyesore. ... I hope it can be taken care of soon," Harmon said.
