City, State Make Some Progress in Clearing Roads

The damage left in the wake of "superstorm Sandy is extensive. While crews have been working diligently to clear downed trees and power lines, there are still many roads that are unpassable.

One issue that is slowing the process is wires caught in downed trees. In these cases, for the sake of safety, utility crews must be on the scene before highway workers can begin to clear them.

Obviously, because the storm's damage is so widespread, this is taking some time.

Here are updated lists of roads that are closed in both the City of Easton and PennDOT-serviced roads in the Easton area. We will update both as we have more information, so be sure to stop back for the latest.

Closed Streets in the City of Easton

Some or most of the streets in the City of Easton listed below as being closed are probably now open as of noon on Monday, Nov. 4, but the city has yet to release an updated list. More as we have it.

Downtown

• Washington St between S. 5th St. and S. Union St.
• S. Delaware Dr. between Third and Nesquehoning streets
• N. Delaware Dr. between Bushkill Street and Park Avenue

Downtown update, 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 1: Most of Downtown never lost power, but the residents of Rosewood Court, the Harlan and Walter houses and the Northampton County Courthouse complex do not have power.

A snapped pole on Washington Street is to blame, said Mayor Sal Panto, adding that when that is fixed, electricity will be restored.

The city has not yet gotten an estimate of when that will happen; however, MetEd has repeatedly stated that the City of Easton should be mostly restored by the weekend, with the remainder of customers getting power back by Monday, Nov. 5.

The Harlan and Walter houses are currently running back-up generators to provide some heat to the residents. The Northampton County Courthouse remains closed, but tonight's county council meeting will still take place.

West Ward

• Maple Street between Washington and Lehigh Street
• Elder Street between Vine and Wood Avenue
• 9th & Jackson St. - Intersection
• N 14th St. between Northampton and Liberty Street

Southside

• St. Joseph St between Folk and Charles St.
• Folk Street between Nesquehoning and Cooper Street
• W. Kleinhans St. between Folk and St. John St.
• Williams St. between Philadelphia Rd. and Seitz St.
• Wilkes-Barre Street between Valley and Center Street

Southside update, 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 1: Most of these streets have been cleared or will be by tonight, but there is not yet an official list.

A MetEd crew working on Folk Street between Nesquehoning and Cooper streets indicated they may have that problem solved by about 7 p.m. this evening. If they are successful, about 900 more Southside residents will see their power restored this evening.

According to Mayor Sal Panto, that will mean the majority of Southside will again have power.

Panto's own residence is currently dark too, he mentioned, but he's not sure his house will be included in tonight's hoped-for restoration of service.

College Hill

• Lafayette St. between Coleman and Hamilton St.
• McCartney St. between Pierce and Burke St.
• Pierce St between Reeder and Brodhead St.
• Burke St. between Reeder and Brodhead St.
• Taylor Ave. between Park and Mixsell St.
• College Ave. between McCartney St. and Clinton Terr.
• Cattell St. between Clinton Terr. And College Ave.
• Clinton Terr. Between Reeder and Porter Street
• Parsons Street between Reeder and Porter Street
• Brodhead Street between Burke and Pierce
• Pierce between Paxinosa and Brodhead Street
• Lafayette Street from Mixsell to Lafayette Street
• North of Lafayette Street is generally impassable
• Lafayette Street from Park to Rte 611

College Hill update, 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 1: Most of these streets have been cleared, but there is not yet an official list. Lafayette Street west of Hamilton was still closed and impassable late afternoon, and some streets near the EFD substation were also not quite finished, though one public works crew member said he thought they might be done by later today.

For those that do not yet have power on College Hill, it may still be another day or two; city officials said that most downed trees had entangled wires and that finally getting the trees cleared required MetEd assistance.

Now that is accomplished, the majority of the remaining work is utility-related, which should begin to happen on Friday, they added.

Closed PennDOT Roads in Northampton County

• Durham Road between County Line Road and Stouts Valley Road in Williams Township is closed due to a downed tree in wires; Now open

• Hexenkopf Road between Buttermilk and Morgan Hill roads in Williams Township is closed due to a downed tree in utility wires;

• Raubsville Road between Kressman Road and Royal Manor Road in Williams Township is closed due to downed utilities;

• Jacobsburg Road between Belfast Road and Sexton Road in Bushkill Township is closed due to downed utility wires; Now open

• Jacobsburg Road between Henry and Belfast roads in Bushkill Township is close due to a downed tree in utility wires;

• Cherryville Road between Thirty Second Street and Springhill Road in Allen Township is closed due to a downed utility; Now open

• PA 987 between Monocacy Avenue in Chapman Borough and Valley View Drive in Moore Township is closed due to a downed utility;
• Moser Road between Scenic Drive and Delps Road in Moore Township is closed due to a downed utility; Now open

• PA 611 between Browns Drive in Williams Township and Cedarville Road in the City of Easton is closed due to a(nother) downed trees and utility; Now open

• PA 611 between Washington Street and Smith Avenue in Easton City is closed due to a downed tree; Now open

• PA 611 between Royal Manor Road and Mill Street in Williams Township is closed due to downed tree in utility wires; Now open

• PA 611 between Taylor Avenue in the City of Easton and Frost Hollow Road in Forks Township is closed due to downed trees and utility wires; Now open

• Island Park Road between Berger Hill Road in Glendon Borough and Tumble Creek Road in Williams Township is closed due to a downed utility; Now open

• Stones Crossing Road between Nicholas Street and William Penn Highway in Palmer Township due to a downed utility; Now open

• Morgan Hill Road between Morvale Road and Cedarville Road in Williams Township is closed due to a downed utility; Now open

• Tatamy/Uhler Road between Short Road in Forks Township and Richmond Aston Road in Lower Mount Bethel Township is closed due to downed trees in utility lines; Now open

• PA 611 between Stone Church Drive and Evergreen Road in Upper Mount Bethel Township is closed due to a downed utility; Now open

• Cider Press/Tumble Creek Road between Gaffney Hill and Texas roads in Williams Township is closed due to a downed utility  Reported cleared and now open.

• Freemansburg Avenue between Dunkle and Leeman streets in Palmer Township is restricted due to a downed tree and utility;

• High Street between Broad and Main streets in Nazareth Borough is closed due to a downed tree in wires. Now open

• Greenpond Road between Bethman Road in Bethlehem Township and Northampton Street in Palmer Township is closed due to a downed tree in utility wires;

• Newburg Road/Main Street between Northwood Avenue and Fischer Road in Lower Nazareth Township is closed due to downed utility wires in trees;

• PA 191 between Lake Minsi Drive and Fox Gap Road in Upper Mount Bethel Township is closed due to a downed utility; Now open

• PA 191 between Kesslerville and Pen Argyl roads in Plainfiled Township is closed due to a downed utility;
Now open

• PA 248 between Creek Road in Lehigh Township and Cottonwood Road in Moore Township is closed due to a downed utility; Now open

• South Main Street between True Blue and Flicksville roads in Washington Township is closed due to a downed tree and utility; Now open

• Flint Hill Road between Waldheim Road and the Bucks County Line in Lower Saucon Township is closed due to a downed tree; Now open

• Seidersville Road between the Lehigh County Line and PA 378 in Lower Saucon Township is closed due to downed utility lines; Now open

• Seidersville/Hickory Hill Road between PA 378 and Bingen Road in Lower Saucon Township is closed due to downed utility lines;

• Center Street between Dewberry Avenue and Macada Road in the City of Bethlehem is closed due to a downed utility line;

• Main Street between Poplar and Broad streets in Bath Borough is closed due to downed utility wires. Now open

• Yost Road between Delaware Avenue in Chapman Borough and English Road in Moore Township is closed due to a downed utility; Now open

• Bushkill Drive between Church and West End roads in Moore Township is closed due to a downed tree in utility wires;

• Walnut Drive between Lehigh Drive and Elm Road in Lehigh Township is closed due to a downed tree in wires; Now open

• Kreidersville Road/Main Street/Walnut Drive between Lehigh Drive and Elm Road/Walnut Drive in Lehigh Township is closed due to downed utility wires in trees

Last updated on Wednesday, Nov. 7 at 2:21 p.m.
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