BEAVER FALLS, Pa. — The city of Beaver Falls has closed a well-traversed road indefinitely.
The Beaver Falls police chief said there were four crashes on Ross Hill Road in the past week, so they opted to close it for public safety reasons. The road is steep and a popular shortcut for many drivers.
Channel 11 spoke with a woman who uses the road almost every day, and she was surprised to hear it will be blocked off until further notice.
“Because we have lived here for almost nine years and I have never seen an accident on this road,” Jan Ryhal said.
Channel 11 asked her if she thinks the road is dangerous.
“Not really. You just have to be careful. When you come around the bend faster than you are supposed to, you’re going to get hurt,” Ryhal said.
Police said they plan to meet with the city’s safety committee and Beaver Falls leaders to evaluate the roadway and assess options to determine if it will be reopened in the future.
In the meantime, drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes, such as 11th Street and Steffen Hill Road — which adds about eight minutes to a commute.
Ross Hill Road connects Patterson Township and Beaver Falls so many drivers said this closure is very inconvenient.
“A lot of people around here take this road as a shortcut to Beaver Falls,” aid Ace Kirkland said.
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