DELAWARE TOWNSHIP -- Crews measured the road to determine how wide Route 209 is as it passes through the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
The location is one of five places where new emergency gates are being installed.
"It keeps people off the roads. It keeps them from running into a situation that they might not be able to get out of," said Joe Barbush, Steelton.
Installation work started at the beginning of the week. Metal posts were placed first. The swinging gates will come next.
The gates will be used to close roads entirely or in sections during emergencies.
"You can put up barriers and people will still go around them. We see this a lot with flooding, people driving into water where it's not safe so again you're just protecting people from themselves," said Mark Walter of Washington, Pennsylvania.
People tell us you never know when an emergency will happen, so if these gates are going to keep people safe they are happy to have them.
Once park staff go out and close the gates, that should free up park rangers and other personnel during an emergency. They can help where needed instead of blocking traffic.
Warning signs will be placed ahead of the gates to alert travelers of road closures.
"At least you know you're not going to get yourself into a situation where you're halfway up, halfway there and you have to turn around or in case of flooding run into an issue there," said Barbush.
"Especially if you're pulling a trailer or something like that . It can be a real inconvenience," said Walter.
The gates along Route 209 in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area should be installed by the end of the month.