Hurricane Nicole may have contributed to wall collapse in Bellefonte, PennDOT official said
The state Department of Transportation is still “evaluating the situation” in Bellefonte, where South Water Street is down to one lane after a wall collapsed between West High and Mill streets on Saturday.
Timothy Nebgen, safety press officer for PennDOT’s District 2, wrote in an email that the recent weather may have been a contributing factor to the collapse, though officials are still investigating.
“PennDOT is ... still investigating the cause of the collapse, but early indicators point to the significant amount of rainfall resulting from Hurricane Nicole as a contributing factor,” Nebgen said Monday.
Happy Valley received between 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 inches of rain from Hurricane Nicole, the National Weather Service said.
Nebgen said the goal is to quickly complete temporary repairs to stabilize the area and open both lanes of traffic before doing complete, permanent repairs next construction season. The cost and time frame are yet to be determined.
“Our staff is still evaluating the situation. Once we determine the most appropriate repair type, we will establish a cost and timetable,” he said.
Northbound traffic will be detoured at Stoney Batter Road and use Route 144 to High Street, returning to Route 150, PennDOT wrote in a release Monday. Southbound traffic that is heading toward State College will travel through the affected area in the northbound lane.
“This restriction may be in place for some time,” the release stated. Nebgen said the department thanks drivers for their patience as they work through the process.
This story was originally published November 14, 2022 at 3:48 PM.
