Northhampton News

Rep. Ann Flood (R-Northampton) today expressed approval for the newly announced plan to reopen Route 611 in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. The highway, closed since December 2022 due to a rockslide, is expected to reopen after eight to ten weeks of work.

“This has been a major hardship for everyone, as drivers have been forced to pay tolls, as well as higher fuel costs, to get around the closed section of roadway. Businesses in the area have struggled or even been forced to close due to the lack of traffic that sustained the area,” Flood said. “It’s time to put the people first, and the plan unveiled today will do that."

Flood emphasized the persistent efforts made by her office and other stakeholders: “We have worked hard to keep this issue in front of key decisionmakers from the start. We’ve had the House Transportation Committee chairs tour the closure site, held meetings with people in Portland to hear their concerns and try to develop solutions, communicated our concerns with the governor and more. It’s taken longer than any of us would have liked to get here, but we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel."

She commended PennDOT engineers for their resolution efforts and acknowledged Congressman Matt Cartwright's role: "I commend the engineers at PennDOT who have worked hard to come up with a resolution to solve a very complex problem, and I want to especially thank Congressman Matt Cartwright for taking the reins and getting us across the finish line with a workable plan to get this road open by late summer.”

The agreed-upon plans include installing a temporary rockfall barrier that will allow two-way traffic while crews work on a permanent solution. PennDOT estimates project completion within eight to ten weeks.

Borough of Portland Mayor Heather Fischer also praised Cartwright's involvement: “I appreciate the efforts that Congressman Cartwright and his office made,” she said. “We needed his oversight to get to this point; this is how it works. Portland cannot thank Rep. Flood enough for exhausting every path to try and get eyes on this situation and its impact on residents and small businesses. While we have a long road ahead, we can now take a rest with one or two lanes open from Portland to Delaware Water Gap as it gets sorted.”