Section of Route 906 reopens after lengthy closure

By TAYLOR BROWN

tbrown@yourmvi.com

After more than two years, state Route 906 between Belle Vernon and Fayette City has reopened. 

The closure, which began in May 2018 after a severe rockslide brought rocks, mud and debris crashing down from the hillside, ran along Route 906 from the intersection with Route 201 (Fayette Avenue) in Washington Township to Blind Lane in Belle Vernon.

After years of problem solving, it reopened to drivers just in time for the holidays. 

Despite road closure signs blocking the area, some local motorists ignored warnings and continued to drive the stretch.

In February 2019, two cars driving in opposite directions collided with other after crashing into boulders nearly the size of their vehicles.

Over time, more slides developed underneath the roadway, making the solution more difficult.

Because it is a state-owned road, PennDOT was responsible for repairs, but higher-than-average precipitation – and hundreds of other slides throughout the region – made the problem worse and a solution more difficult.

In January, officials from PennDOT District 12 and elected officials from Belle Vernon, North Belle Vernon, Fayette City, Washington Township and Rostraver Township met in Uniontown to discuss the closure, which officials said has been a problem since 2014 when PennDOT noticed slippage and began an analysis of the area. 

PennDOT District 12 Executive Joe Szczur said because the slide is located within the Appalachian Plateaus, the steep slopes were previously mined for coal and aren’t always sturdy.

Natural geological conditions in the region, which features steep hills and soft, slippery underlying layers of rock, make the Mon Valley and surrounding areas one of the most landslide-prone areas in the country, Szczur said, adding that District 12 is the most susceptible area in the state.

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