PennDOT to perform rock remediation on US 209 in Carbon County

District 5 began a project this past spring to remediate rock along U.S. 209/Mauch Chunk Street in Mahoning Township, Carbon County.

For safety reasons, there are full closures of U.S. 209 north and south between Oak Drive and Race Street weekdays (Mondays through Fridays) between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.

"These closures are necessary to protect motorists from any rocks that may fall during the work, and provide the contractor space to safely maneuver equipment," Inspector-in-Charge Calvin Ulshafer said. "We will allow emergency service vehicles to travel through the area for emergency response efforts."

During the closures, U.S. 209 traffic is detoured on Packerton Dam Road, Hemlock Drive, PA 902, South Ninth Street, PA 443, U.S. 209, Harrity Road, Fairyland Road, Long Run Road, Maury Road, and PA 903.

A single lane is open on U.S. 209 north and south weekdays from 3 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. and from 3 p.m. Fridays through 8:30 a.m. Mondays.

Workers are removing fallen rock from the roadside, scaling back and removing additional rock from the mountain, installing mesh netting to help prevent future rocks from falling, milling and paving U.S. 209 north in the work area, and performing minor drainage improvements.

Over the past several years, multiple large rocks slid off the side of Flagstaff Mountain ("Mansion House Hill") alongside U.S. 209, resulting in the need for this remediation work.

This section of U.S. 209 has an average daily traffic volume of 9,814 vehicles.

Road-Con Inc. of West Chester, Pa., is the general contractor on the $3,550,829 project that is expected to be complete in May 2020.

For more information on projects occurring or being bid this year, those made possible by or accelerated by the state transportation funding plan (Act 89), or those on the department's Four and Twelve Year Plans, visit www.projects.penndot.gov.