Drivers rejoice: Bellefonte gateway reopens after temporary repairs fix collapsed wall
Both lanes of a major Bellefonte gateway reopened Thursday after Pennsylvania’s highway agency temporarily repaired a collapsed wall.
The two lanes of South Water Street — also known as state Route 150 — reopened about 2:35 p.m. Thursday. The road that transports thousands of people daily was restricted to one lane for nearly three weeks.
The northbound detour was lifted. The sidewalk that runs along Spring Creek will remain closed “in the interest of public safety,” the state Department of Transportation wrote in a statement.
It’s unclear exactly how much the temporary repair cost, though PennDOT spokeswoman Marla Fannin wrote it’s estimated to cost more than $50,000. Material, equipment and personnel costs need to be finalized, she wrote in an email.
The repair — which included temporary shoring and the installation of a rock buttress for slope stabilization — began Monday.
A portion of a wall collapsed Nov. 12 between West High and Mill streets. Heavy rainfall from the remnants of Hurricane Nicole may have been a factor, a PennDOT spokesperson wrote in a November email, but an investigation was ongoing.
The road is expected to remain open until a long-term repair can be made in the spring, PennDOT wrote. The cost and timeline for that project will depend on the design, Fannin wrote.