Politics & Government
Township Issues Post-Storm Update
As of Tuesday, several Lower Saucon Township roads remain closed in the wake of Hurricane Irene.
UPDATE, Aug. 30, 3:30pm: Township officials reported that Wassergass Road has reopened to traffic.
Lower Saucon Township officials are still measuring the , but on Monday issued an initial assessment in the wake of that caused and .
According to the public works department report, provided by Township Manager Jack Cahalan, seven township roads were closed due to flooding caused by the storm, including Colesville Road (between Manor Drive and Route 378), Mountain Drive South (between Woodfields and Goodman Drive), Meadows Road at the Saucon Creek bridge, Skibo Road at the Saucon Creek bridge, Friedensville Road at the Saucon Creek bridge, Bingen Road at Reading Road and Reading Road from Route 412 to Bingen Road. All of the roads had reopened to traffic by 8pm Sunday.
Find out what's happening in Hellertown-Lower Sauconwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
A total of 22 township roads were closed by the downing of 41 trees, but all had been reopened by 8pm Sunday.
Those roads included Mountain Drive (five trees downed), Silver Creek Road, Seidersville Road, Stonesthrow Road, Quartermile Road, Willowbrook Drive, Glenn View Drive, Bingen Road (two trees downed), Lower Saucon Road (two trees downed), Beeline Drive, Appletree East, Woodland Road, Merryweather Drive, Mockingbird Hill Road, Springtown Hill Road, Reading Road, Williams Church Road, Helms Road, Upper Wilhelm Drive, Old Mill Road, East Redington Road and College Drive.
Find out what's happening in Hellertown-Lower Sauconwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
As of mid-day Tuesday, several Lower Saucon Township roads remained closed due to downed trees and power lines, including Fire Lane, Drifting Drive, Wassergass Road, Walters Avenue, Reading Road and Skyline Drive.
These roads remained closed because PPL contractors must clear the trees and restore power, the township explained.
Other issues caused by the storm include a sinkhole that opened up at Deer Run Road and Meadows Ridge Court; a washout on Sanbrook Drive at the Black River Road Bridge; a washout at the Helms Road culvert; gutter washouts on Mockingbird Hill Road; a shoulder washout on Williams Church Road; gutters washed out and a pipes washout by the reservoir along Silver Creek Road; and many other minor washouts on various township roads.
The Public Works Department also reported that a possible crack in a wall of the Black River Road Bridge at Evergreen will be checked out by Hanover Engineering.
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