A heavy rainstorm that hit the area last Sunday caused a section of Ellis Creek Road in the Town of Barton, N.Y. to be closed. Pictured is the damage, as well as Tioga County Highway workers who were on the scene on Monday to begin the initial repairs. On Thursday, Tioga County Legislative Chair Martha Sauerbrey announced that the road has re-opened. (Photos by Wendy Post)
The heavy rainstorm that hit the area last Sunday caused a section of Ellis Creek Road in the Town of Barton, N.Y. to be closed. The severe storm was so intense that the roadway drainage system could not handle the flow.
According to Tioga County Highway representatives on the scene, they explained that the sluice pipes that allow water to run under the highway are solidified by gravel, and then blacktop makes up the roadway on the top with the sluice pipes underneath. The storm forced the gravel to break loose, thus causing the breakage of the blacktop and roadway.
While on the scene on Monday, portions of the road were still breaking away as the gravel continued to wash away from the water flow. Many of the guardrails were also damaged, as well as portions on the side of the road that were slowly breaking away.
Gigi Horvath, who lives on the northern side of the road, was on the scene on Monday as workers began assessing the damage and working to repair things.
According to Horvath, there was three feet of rain in a very short amount of time on Sunday, causing the road to just crumble.
“In all of our years with flooding and everything, we have never seen this happen,” said Horvath.
The workers stated that new sluice pipes needed to be installed and the gravel and roadway replaced.
Earlier in the week, detours diverted traffic to Oak Hill Road and Crandall Road. On Thursday, at 3:03 p.m., Tioga County Legislative Chair, Martha Sauerbrey, reported that Ellis Creek Road in the Town of Barton is now open for traffic.
