FALLSTON — A portion of Route 51 is expected to be closed at least through Thursday, and possibly longer, as crews work to stabilize the hillside that caused a landslide last week.
The slide, which occurred late on April 16, has resulted in a closure of Route 51 between the Veterans Memorial Bridge and Wildwood Road. Drivers have been using a detour that mostly involves the use of Darlington Road.
PennDOT spokesman Steve Cowan said Tuesday that the hillside is still unstable and that “material sits on a small shelf halfway down the hill ready to fall” onto the road.
Crews have been working to fix a broken drainage pipe along Darlington Road, which is thought to have caused the landslide. After that work is complete, crews will begin removing the “slide material” on the hill, Cowan said.
“We can then evaluate whether Route 51 can be reopened with barrier and possibly flaggers, or if it needs to remain closed as material excavation work is conducted,” he said. “Obviously, safety is the highest priority.”
Cowan said another update on the status of the road will be released Wednesday or Thursday.