Snow melt, rain cause road closures
Some roads that were closed Thursday night due to flooding began to reopen Friday morning.
Unseasonably warm temperatures Thursday melted the piles of snow remaining from the last snowstorm, then rain moved into the area and fell nearly all day.
As predicted by the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, that combination caused creeks and streams in low-lying areas and stretches of road that traditionally flood to do just that overnight.
The state Department of Transportation just after 8 p.m. on Thursday issued a news release that Herman Road had flooded between Stutz Road and Simon Drive.
About 15 minutes later, PennDOT announced a list of state roads in the county that had been partially or fully closed due to flooding.
Those included Hartmann and Seneca School roads in Jackson Township, Renfrew Road in Penn Township, a stretch of Route 38 between Route 138 in Washington Township and Hoon Road in Center Township, and Route 138 between Campbell and Meals roads in Concord Township.
PennDOT District 10 spokeswoman Christina Gibbs reminded motorists that just 2 feet of fast-moving water can cause an automobile to float, and that driving around “road closed” signs can result in increased penalties if emergency responders are called to rescue motorists who disregard the signs or barriers.
Gibbs issued a news release at 8 a.m. Friday announcing that Route 38 was back open.
Later in the day, PennDOT announced that Hartmann and Seneca School roads also reopened, but Renfrew Road remained closed.
She added that Route 308 had lane closures from the weather event.
