Landslide closes Route 88 in Washington County
CALIFORNIA, Pa. (KDKA) - Part of a main thoroughfare into a Washington County college town is still shut down due to a landslide, causing an inconvenience for drivers. Part of Route 88 between Mechanic Street and Highpoint Drive has been closed since Saturday. PennDOT says this is a road that typically gets around 5,500 drivers a day. Route 88 is one of the main roads that goes into the borough of California and California University of Pennsylvania's campus. PennDOT crews spent another day Tuesday clearing mud, trees and debris off the road. They're blaming the landslide on the wet weather we've been seeing in the Pittsburgh region. "Over the last several days and week, we've seen a significant amount of rain. The water from the rainfall has really impacted it, loosened up the soil, really helped it move," said Robb Dean, the assistant district executive for maintenance for PennDOT District 12. The closure has created an inconvenience for people who use the road a lot, like Daryl Nichols who transports kids to and from school. "I have to go all the way around and everything. It's been a hold-up. That was a real bad slide. That whole hillside could've come down," said Nichols. Amy Wadas: "Was it an inconvenience?" Cindy Lacey: "Yes, especially with the price of gas right now." Other drivers say they expect more of this to come. "You know, there's going to be a lot more of that with this weather," said Raymond Bell. PennDOT says it is doing what it can to make sure a landslide doesn't happen again. "Right now, it just seems there's loose material coming on top of the road, so we are removing all the loose material that's fallen. It's exposing the rock, but will end up settling itself," said Dean. PennDOT hopes to reopen the road by the end of the week. Crews say they'll continue to monitor the area. PennDOT says the detour is Third Street Extension to Wood Street and back to Third Street.
