PennDOT closes Perry Township road due to road slide
Penn Dot has closed section of Layton Road between the village of Layton and Banning Road in Perry Township after the roadway collapsed.
Penn Dot has closed section of Layton Road between the village of Layton and Banning Road in Perry Township after the roadway collapsed.
A road slide in Perry Township caused a road closure that won鈥檛 be reopened until further notice.
On Wednesday afternoon, the state Department of Transportation closed a section of Layton Road between Circle Street and Wilson Road due to a road slide.
While types of road slides vary, Valerie Petersen, the community relations coordinator with PennDOT District 12, said, in the case of Layton Road, the foundation underneath the road鈥檚 pavement started slipping away, which can cause pavement to begin to drop and be uneven with the roadway.
鈥淚t had been occurring for a little while,鈥� Petersen said, adding when they determined the conditions may not be safe for motorists, they closed the road and set up a detour.
A marked detour is in place that uses Banning Layton Road/Dawson Road, Cunningham School Road, Front Street/Dickerson Run Road, Route 201 and Cemetery Road.
Petersen said while all road projects are different, PennDOT typically repairs road slides by having soil samples collected and analyzed to determine what to use to fill in the soft spots under the pavement and build the road back up from the foundation.
鈥淲e have not put that together yet,鈥� Petersen said, adding the road will be closed until further notice.
Perry Township Supervisor AJ Boni said the road is a well-traveled road as it鈥檚 the road that takes motorists from Perryopolis to Linden Hall.
鈥淟ayton will be a one-way in, one-way out community,鈥� Boni said. 鈥淚t definitely will be an inconvenience鈥�
Boni wanted residents to be assured that a plan has been made with nearby fire departments in Smithton and Dawson in regards of emergency services during the closure.
He added that the road closure will firetruck drivers headaches because of the added weight they鈥檒l bring to the old Layton Bridge, which Boni said he said he鈥檒l also discuss with PennDOT at a meeting Thursday night about the closure.
鈥淧ennDOT is on it, and we appreciate that,鈥� Boni said adding that he and the residents and motorists are hoping for the road to be reopened as soon as possible.