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Damage from Ice Jam Closes Part of Route 170 in Wayne County

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Part of Route 170 in Wayne County is closed after PennDOT officials say an ice jam on a branch of the Lackawaxen River flooded the road...

CLINTON TOWNSHIP -- Part of Route 170 in Wayne County is closed after PennDOT officials say an ice jam on a branch of the Lackawaxen River flooded the roadway.

The water has since receded, leaving behind a gaping hole and a crumbling road in Clinton Township.

"It's a main thoroughfare. (Route) 170 is a main thoroughfare,” said Franklin Pauler, who lives near the closure.

Pauler delivers the mail in the area and says the detour will make his job more difficult.

The floodwaters also forced crews to close a small bridge on Beech Grove Road.

The closed stretch of Route 170 connects Aldenville and Prompton. People who live in the area say flooding is a constant problem.

Rachel Wagner and her husband own North Star Bed and Breakfast along Route 170.

"Every time it rains real badly, it floods out down there, and we're closed. The whole road is closed. It affects everything around here, a lot of people,” she said.

PennDOT officials said they are looking into a long-term solution to keep constant flooding from being a problem on Route 170, but in the short term, they want to get this roadway fixed as quickly as possible. They are asking officials in Harrisburg to try to get emergency funding to get that done.

The detour is miles long and people are worried about school bus routes not to mention response times for police and fire crews in the event of an emergency.

"I have three grandchildren living here with us now. If we have an emergency, how are they going to get here fast enough? Prompton Fire Company, they're always here first. Well, how are they going to get here first?” asked Virginia Pauler of Clinton Township.

"Every time it rains, it just gets worse and worse, so a band-aid is not going help. It's got to be fixed,” said Rachel Wagner.

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