Section of Route 611 closed two years ago partially reopens

The section of Route 611 in Monroe County that has been closed for nearly two years was partially reopened on Tuesday.

One lane is now open to traffic on the stretch of road in Delaware Water Gap Borough and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, PennDOT said.

The section of the road closed in December 2022 due to rockslide along Mount Minsia caused by heavy rains. The plan to reopen the lane was announced two weeks ago.

"PennDOT thanks the National Park Service, Federal Highway Administration, federal, state, and local elected officials, and the multiple tribal nations who were involved in getting this road back open," said PennDOT District 5 Executive Chris Kufro. "We especially thank the residents and business owners in the area for their patience."

The single lane is controlled by a traffic signal. Transit officials are cautioning drivers to only proceed through the lane when the signal is green.

Vehicles wider than eight feet are prohibited on the road between the Portland-Columbia Toll Bridge in Portland Borough and Broad Street in Delaware Water Gap Borough.

PennDOT contracted J.D. Eckman Inc. of Atglen for the project. Work included roadway grading and realignment, constructing a concrete slab, as well as the installation of free-standing metal posts, concrete barriers and protective chain-link fencing.

Since December 2022, drivers heading to the borough of Portland have had to take alternate routes, with the most common one being paying a toll to take the Portland-Columbia Bridge into New Jersey and backtracking into Pennsylvania via I-80.

There is currently no estimated timeline for when the road can fully open, PennDOT said.