Part of Route 611 has been closed since 2022. A reopening is finally in sight

A temporary solution to reopen the closed stretch of Route 611 south of Delaware Water Gap has been reached, officials announced Friday.

The road has been closed from Cherry Valley Road/Oak Street in Delaware Water Gap south to Slateford Road since a rock slide in December 2022 . Part of this section is in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

National Park Service officials and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation have reached a compromise that allows Route 611 to reopen, U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, state Sen. Rosemary Brown and state Rep. Tarah Probst announced.

"PennDOT officials said they expect it will take roughly eight to ten weeks to complete the project and get traffic flowing once permits are finalized. NPS confirmed the permitting process would be expedited because the project is temporary and not directly impacting resources," Cartwright's office said in a press release.

According to his office, a "temporary, free-standing rockfall barrier" will be installed. "This compromise, both agencies agree, will allow two-way traffic to flow while they continue working behind-the-scenes on a more permanent solution."

In the press release, officials expressed gratitude for the collaborative solution and noted the challenges that closure has brought to residents, businesses and emergency services.

"A year and half ago, we started working and trying to get this settled. Everything we wanted to do kept falling to the wayside, and it was frustrating not only for me, but most importantly, the residents who travel that road, the businesses that have suffered because of this closure, the emergency access being removed and the toll it has taken on other municipality roads. I am so glad that there is going to be a temporary fix that will come to a permanent solution, and everybody can get back to their normal lives," Probst said. "We can do better, we will do better, and I thank Congressman Cartwright for stepping in and helping to get this job done."

“This is a critical step in restoring accessibility and alleviating the hardships faced by our residents and businesses,” Brown said. “While this is a temporary fix, it is an important move towards a permanent resolution. I will continue to advocate for a comprehensive, long-term solution that balances all interests.”

“Our intention was to hold an ongoing, open discussion on how we could mitigate the challenges the National Park Service and PennDOT faced regarding the reopening of Route 611. I am very pleased we were able to devise a cooperative strategy between both agencies that will provide much-needed relief to the people we serve,” Cartwright said.

Kathryne Rubright is the managing editor of the Pocono Record and the Tri-County Independent. Reach her at krubright@gannett.com .

This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: Part of Route 611 has been closed since 2022. A reopening is finally in sight