COAL TOWNSHIP - Route 61 traffic could return to normal by this afternoon if transportation officials determine a mine subsidence discovered Wednesday has been properly filled in.
Crews were on scene Thursday working to fill the 12-foot by 12-foot hole in the southbound lanes of Route 61 near Jones Home Center in Coal Township. Traffic was rerouted onto the shoulder of the road in a single lane where road crews worked.
Northumberland County Assistant Maintenance Manager Jamin Hess reported Thursday the subsidence stems from a mine discharge that opened up last year near Sam Bressi Motors, a few yards away.
"When we investigated that incident, we noticed a spot on Route 61 in the area of Wednesday's subsidence was buckling," Hess said. "We decided to dig it up back then and check it."
Last fall, crews found that the affected portion of Route 61 sits on a mine entrance, sloped at a 45-degree angle. PennDOT mulled and patched the area after "choking off," or filling in, the area from the shaft to the mine's vein.
"We kept monitoring the area, and thought it was stabilized," Hess said.
A foreman was driving home Wednesday evening and noticed the hole in the road. Crews arrived on scene and cordoned off the area, forcing drivers into a makeshift lane on the right shoulder of the highway.
"We dug out a section of Route 61 that stretched across both lanes heading into Shamokin," Hess said, saying that southbound traffic was restricted to one lane of travel from the entrance to the former Ames Plaza to the traffic light at Route 61's intersection with Feeney Street.
After finding no other problems, crews recompacted the material underneath the highway and poured 14 cubic yards of concrete.
Hess said the traffic barriers would remain in place overnight to allow the concrete to set inside the subsidence.
Today, a crew will apply asphalt over the affected portion of the highway and pave the road.
Barring any problems, crews hope to reopen by this afternoon.
Hess said the work done Thursday should fix the issue.
"We checked the northbound lanes and found no problems there," Hess said. "It appears to be isolated to just that one section."