Pocono News Section

309 Project Starts Monday

309 Project Starts Monday - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 07:40AM EST

Reported by: Kyla Campbell
Monday, Nov 16, 2009 @ 07:40am EST

HAZLETON, LUZERNE COUNTY -- When you hear of slick roads causing accidents, you're likely to picture icy roads in the winter. That's not the case for one section of Route 309 in the Hazleton area.

This summer, several car accidents along Route 309 were blamed on slippery road conditions.

Emergency officials said every time it rained, parts of the road between Diamond Avenue and the Airport Beltway became unusually slick.

After a handful of accidents in one day, PennDOT placed warning signs and laid down cinders along the route.

Emergency crews blamed it on the paving material used called "micropave," saying it was oily, and not course enough.

PennDOT has singled out two portions of the road that are causing problems -- between Diamond Avenue and 15th Street, and the intersection of Route 309 and the Airport Beltway.

Those sections of the road will be closed during milling and repaving. Drivers are asked to take alternate routes.