PennDOT Shuts Down Intersection Due to Sink Hole Concerns
PennDOT crews shut down the northbound lane of South Water Street at 4:15 PM on Tuesday, detouring traffic onto Jacob Street, then again onto South Jefferson Street. The detour will remain in place tonight and possibly through the weekend.
PennDOT closed the north bound lanes of South Water Street in downtown Kittanning amid safety concerns that a large sink hole could collapse.
PennDOT District 10 Assistant County Manager Ken Campbell explained the detour route through Kittanning.
“We are going to set up a temporary emergency detour that is going to bring north bound traffic only (southbound traffic will be unrestricted) to turn right on Jacob Street, and then left onto South Jefferson Street, then left again onto Market Street to bring them back out to the (bridge) intersection.”
Campbell said the detour will be in place until a solution is found or a more permanent detour is established.
PennDOT District 10 Incident Commander Michael J. Shanshata said there were concerns at this point with traffic continuing to travel over the portion of the street above the sink hole that is in excess of eight feet deep. Although there has been no indication that the road surface has been compromised, Shanshata said the detour is purely “precautionary” at this point.
A meeting has been scheduled for 2PM Wednesday in Kittanning Council Chambers to review video taken today of the inside of the sink hole and determine a course of action.
Meanwhile, Kittanning Borough and the Kittanning Municipal Sewage Authority has their hands full as they review data that shows their lines under the ground may also have been compromised.
First view of video showed broken lines beneath the surface, but until the information can be analyzed, the could be abandoned pipes no longer in use.
Kittanning Borough, Local News | admin November 17, 2015
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