Eroding road bed could mean lengthy detours for motorists
Motorists be advised: come June 25, traveling between North Bethlehem and New Scotland may get a little difficult.
That’s the day a short stretch of Krumkill Road will be closed, with no definite date in place for its reopening. The road base is eroding toward the Normanskill in a section of road that passes near the river, and officials are concerned it could either cause swift damage to the road or cave in entirely.
We hope it’s temporary, said Town of New Scotland Supervisor Tom Dolin. `The town highway superintendent and town engineers are investigating the cost of various alternatives.`
The town has been monitoring the situation for several years and found the bed to be eroding at a more or less steady pace. In the spring, though, a large crack appeared in the road that necessitated a closure so more investigating`and hopefully a repair`can be done.
`As soon as they close it, they’ll have an opportunity to pull it apart and get a closer look at it,` Dolin said.
The only solution that’s been presented thus far is to remove the clay road base and replace it with a more sturdy fill. The cost would be $3 million, however, and the town has not been able to secure any outside assistance for the repair.
The town budgeted $400,000 for road repairs in this year’s budget.
The road closure will affect only a short section of the road near where the road crosses the river. There are no homes or businesses in the affected area, but for the many motorists who use the road as a thoroughfare and those who live along it, the closure will make a detour to Johnston Road, Route 155 or Route 85 necessary, which can add miles to a trip.
Dolin said town staff is looking into cheaper alternatives for ways to fill in the road base, including a type of Styrofoam block.“