SOUTH STRABANE TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Locust Avenue has been closed since March 27 after a massive landslide sent mud, trees, and debris barreling into a home in Washington County.
It was an unexpected wakeup call in the middle of the night Friday when Sam McElhinny heard a loud bang and his windows shattering.
“You wake up, 2 o’clock in the morning with a tree in your bedroom – it is a little shocking,” McElhinny said.
His patio home along Golf Course Drive in South Strabane Township was in the path of that landslide caused by heavy rains.
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“We worked all night trying to keep it from getting worse,” McElhinny said.
Several days after the storm, McElhinny still can’t walk through his front door, as part of his home remains surrounded by thick layers of mud. He told us Villas on the Green Homeowner’s Association has been in contact with PennDOT, since the state owns Locust Avenue, which sits on top of the hillside above. Crews have angled sandbags on the road to redirect water away from the hillside.
“We’re hopeful what they did on the road will divert the water,” McElhinny said.
Channel 11 asked PennDOT officials about the stability of the hillside and if there was a threat of any further slide. They said the road will be closed until it is deemed safe, as the cause and responsibility are still under investigation.
McElhinny said he’s not pointing fingers or assigning blame. He just wants a resolution and to stay in his home.
“I’m hopeful they’ll fix it and fix it quickly so we can get back to living our normal lives,” McElhinny said.
Neighbors said the damage to their homes house appeared to be minimal, but they, too, have decided to utilize sandbags to keep water away.
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