In the News

U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Moosic, along with State Sen. Rosemary Brown and State Rep. Tarah Probst, this week announced that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the National Park Service (NPS) have reached a compromise when it comes to reopening Route 611 within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

PennDOT officials said they expect it will take roughly 8 to 10 weeks to complete the project and get traffic flowing once permits are finalized. NPS confirmed the permitting process would be expedited because the project is temporary and not directly impacting resources.

“In my ongoing meetings with PennDOT, the National Park Service and the Federal Highway Administration — along with national, state and local public officials — we were able to find common ground that included prioritizing the opening of the road to traffic while keeping motorists safe,” Cartwright said.

The agreed-upon plans include the installation of a temporary, free-standing rockfall barrier. This compromise, both agencies agree, will allow two-way traffic to flow while they continue working behind-the-scenes on a more permanent solution.

“This is a critical step in restoring accessibility and alleviating the hardships faced by our residents and businesses,” Brown said. “While this is a temporary fix, it is an important move towards a permanent resolution.”

Probst said, “A year and half ago, we started working and trying to get this settled. Everything we wanted to do kept falling to the wayside, and it was frustrating not only for me, but most importantly, the residents who travel that road, the businesses that have suffered because of this closure, the emergency access being removed and the toll it has taken on other municipality roads.”