Residents prep for 209 detour to remove rocks

The Mansion House Hill cleanup will affect traffic on Route 209 weekdays between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., but traffic should be normal for the upcoming Fall Foliage Festival weekends in Jim Thorpe.

Officials representing Jim Thorpe borough, Jim Thorpe Area School District, the tourism agency and the chamber met with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation officials Thursday to discuss the detour that will be in place as crews clean up the large rocks that slid onto the road.

Work will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays Tuesday through Oct. 27. On evenings and weekends, one lane will be open in each direction on the Mansion House Hill.

PennDOT officials briefed the local agencies about the detour, detailing how they plan to prevent vehicles, especially trucks, from getting stuck in Jim Thorpe borough during the work days.

“It’s going to take an adjustment initially, but people have to be vigilant with all the signing, and really follow it. We have the support of the local police department. I hope that helps us,” said assistant construction engineer John Harmonosky.

Plans are being made to accommodate buses coming to and from CCTI and the Jim Thorpe schools.

Kathy Henderson of the Carbon Chamber and Economic Development Corporation said the detour shouldn’t affect visitors coming to the Fall Foliage Festival, but she said it could affect people who arrive early on Thursday or Friday.

“You get more traffic going into town at the same time I think than coming out, and they have one lane anyhow,” Henderson said of the weekends.

Jen Christman of the Jim Thorpe Tourism Agency said that it could have a significant effect on tourism in the borough during the week, however.

“We have over 40 shops and dozens of restaurants that are downtown, tons of businesses that are going to be impacted during the week, because they are open during the week. It isn’t just a weekend town like it used to be, especially this time of year,” Christman said.

Twelve electronic sign boards will be in use to direct drivers during the detour, PennDOT’s George White said.

Message boards and signs at the Mahoning Turnpike Interchange will direct vehicles from southbound Route 209 onto the detour, starting at Harrity Road. They’ll end up at Route 903 using Fairyland, Long Run and Maury Roads.

If a vehicle misses the detour and continues on southbound 209, they will be forced to use Packerton Dam and Hemlock Roads to return to Route 443 and access the detour.

If all that fails to deter a driver, there will be a turnaround near the Bagel Bunch.

Coming from Penn Forest Township and points to the north, message boards and signs on southbound Route 903 will direct traffic onto that detour in the opposite direction at Maury Road.

If a truck makes it to the Route 903 bridge, a Jim Thorpe Police officer will be posted to keep trucks off Susquehanna Street.

PennDOT is covering the cost of the additional officer through its contract, Harmonosky said.

Thursday’s meeting was organized by state Rep. Doyle Heffley, who was unable attend due to obligations in Harrisburg.

The work is expected to wrap up on Oct. 27. However, it could be delayed by rain or if the scope of work turns out to be larger once they begin.

“What we know is that rock cut was put in there in the 1700s. The wall was built in the 1930s, and it’s 2017,” construction manager Calvin Ulshafer said.

Drivers can keep up on real time traffic conditions using 511pa.com, or the 511PA app.