City traffic restricted today
Local residents and those traveling to Washington today are reminded that a several-block area of downtown and around the campus of Washington & Jefferson College will be closed to traffic for about eight hours for the procession and funeral of Canonsburg police Officer Scott L. Bashioum, who was killed in the line of duty last week.
City police will start closing streets at 7 a.m. today, said Washington Chief Robert Wilson. The closures are expected to remain in place until about 4 p.m.
The streets closed include:
• East Chestnut Street from North Main Street to North Avenue
• East Beau Street from Main to North
• East Cherry Avenue from South Main to College Street
• East Wheeling Street from South Main to East Lane
• East Strawberry Avenue from South Main to College
• Shaffer Avenue from East Maiden Street to Pine Avenue
• South College from East Maiden to Spruce Street
• South Lincoln Street from East Maiden to East Chestnut
• Grant Street from East to South Lincoln
• East Wheeling Street from East to South Lincoln
Wilson said Main and East Maiden streets and North will remain open. All on-street parking in the perimeter of the street closure will be prohibited. Crews for the state Department of Transportation will assist in setting barricades and closing the streets.
Wilson also said businesses in the affected area have been strongly encouraged to stay closed because of the street restrictions.
The chief is expecting 1,000 police cars to participate in the funeral procession. Wilson said it is not known how many fire trucks will take part. Bashioum was a life member of Slovan Volunteer Fire Department and had been an assistant fire chief.
Wilson said police and fire vehicles will be staging at Consol Energy Park from 8 to 9:30 a.m. The procession will then leave, going east on West Chestnut Street to the area around the church. They will be parked on the closed streets. State police will be in charge of traffic control along the route.
A hearse will carry Bashioum from Beinhauer Funeral Home in Peters Township to the church at 267 E. Beau for the noon service. Wilson said the service is expected to last about an hour. After the service is completed, Bashioum’s casket will be carried out of the church and placed on a fire truck.
Wilson expects the procession will leave the church about 2 p.m. The procession will go from East Beau to North. It will make a right on Murtland Avenue (Route 19) and continue to Interstate 70 westbound at Murtland. The procession will go north on Interstate 79 to the Houston exit. It will go left on Route 519 and then make a right on Pike Street in Houston. The procession will continue into Canonsburg on Pike and Adams Avenue before turning right on Morganza Road. It will follow Morganza through North Strabane and Cecil townships before making a left on Morgan Road and to Cemetery of the Alleghenies, where Bashioum will be laid to rest.