Politics & Government

Councilman Questions Labor Day Weekend Road Closure

Hellertown Borough Councilman Tom Rieger asked Public Works Director Tom Henshaw why a section of Chestnut Street that was recently repaved was closed throughout the holiday weekend.

A road's closure during the long Labor Day weekend prompted Hellertown Borough Councilman Tom Rieger to question Public Works Director Tom Henshaw about his department's planning practices.

At council's Sept. 4 meeting, Rieger noted that a section of Chestnut Street--between Main Street and Easton Road--had remained closed following its recent repaving.

The lengthy closure inconvenienced residents, he contended.

Find out what's happening in Hellertown-Lower Sauconwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Rieger questioned whether the closure over the holiday weekend could have been avoided with better planning.

Henshaw, however, said poor weather was to blame for the scheduling snafu.

Find out what's happening in Hellertown-Lower Sauconwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Pointing skyward, he told Rieger, "You have to talk to Him."

"We had no control over it," he said of the closure, adding that "the option was to leave it open...and have a motorcycle come around and kill himself."

Rieger maintained that the impact on residents of such a lengthy road blockage should be "something to keep in mind for the future."

According to the Borough of Hellertown website, other streets that have been--or will be--paved by the borough's public works department this year include:

  • Cherry Street, from Walnut to Magnolia
  • New Street (full length)
  • Third Avenue, from Easton to Wilson
  • Thomas Avenue, from Main to Easton
  • Bachman Street, from Main to Whitaker


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