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Working to reopen roads and bridges in Lackawanna County

PennDOT officials and state and county emergency management agencies say nearly two dozen roads were closed due to storm damage.

LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — Dozens of roads were closed after flash flooding on Saturday, including a section of Route 11 called the Notch, which connects Clarks Summit to Scranton.

Officials say they are working to get everything reopened by next week.

Mud and debris cover some roads in South Abington Township, remnants of the floodwaters from Saturday night's storm that caused damage throughout this part of  Lackawanna County.

Lisa Petillo lives along part of Route 11, closed since that storm. Petillo says she's never seen flooding like this here before.

"It went over onto the highway here, and it kept flooding over into this about a quarter mile up on a hill."

PennDOT officials and state and county emergency management agencies say nearly two dozen roads were closed due to the damage.

PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll says roughly 10,000 vehicles use Route 11, and crews have been working diligently to reopen this stretch to traffic.

"It speaks to this speedy response that PennDOT and our contractors have to make sure that we return traffic flow to what it should be to ensure people can get to where they need to be," Sec. Carroll said.

PennDOT officials also address a bridge along Falls Road in Newton Township. Crews were removing the old structure that officials say saw a once-in-a-100 years storm.

"This structure was built in 1937 and was a steel I-beam on stone masonry abutments. We are working through the design and construction process to install temporary pipes and open the roadway as soon as possible," said PennDOT official Jonathan Eboli.

The bridge and many roads nearby are used to get kids to and from school in the Abington Heights School District. Superintendent Christopher Shaffer says schools were closed Monday because several buildings were damaged.

Van and bus drivers also spent the day looking for alternate routes and detours for when school is back open.

"Our goal is to get our students back into their routine and in school as soon as possible, and we're feeling very optimistic about that," Shaffer said.

PennDOT hopes to have the remaining closed roads fixed and reopened in a week.

Check real-time conditions with the WNEP Traffic Tracker.

Information on road closures is available at 511PA.com

Check river and stream levels near you HERE. 

Get the full Stormtracker 16 forecast HERE. 

   

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