Erosion has gotten worse along a road by the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. However, officials say that only one lane will be shut off to traffic.
Erosion and shifting on a slope between Route 209/Federal Road and the Delaware River closed a section of the road last March 17 at mile marker 17 in Pike County, close to Interstate 84.
Experts from the Federal Highway Administration were in the park last week to assess the damage and found similar issues close to mile marker 14, where the northbound shoulder was once closed, have gotten worse, said the National Park Service.
Instead of closing both sections of Route 209, Vice Superintendent Eamon Leighty said that two brief single-lane closures with temporary traffic lights would be installed by Friday afternoon.
Leighty said that If storms or heavy rain are forecasted, the entire five-mile stretch of the road will be shut down for up to 48 hours afterward to allow the water levels time to runoff and decrease and reassess the area’s safety.
Park staff will continue to monitor the area if changing conditions require both lanes to be closed again.
“We recognize that the road closure and detour route are a disruption to residents, park visitors, and local communities, but the safety of the public and our staff is always our highest priority,” Leighty said.
Route 209 was shut down for 11 months in 2011 due to the same issue at mile marker 15.
The sections affected by recent closures were scheduled to undergo total rehabilitation in 2023 with funds from the Great American Outdoors Act.
Further surveys are planned to determine the full extent of the damage, the options available to make short- and long-term repairs, and the repair costs.
The park service said it had secured some funds to help with emergency repairs from storm damage to the area. However, they may require additional funding depending on the severity of the damage.
This article originally appeared on leighvalleylive.com.
The situation around the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is a bit tricky with road erosion causing lane closures. They’re looking into long-term solutions like retaining walls to tackle the problem. Just a heads-up to keep an eye on road updates for a smooth trip!