Redbank Creek. Submitted by Brandi Kline.
NEW BETHLEHEM, Pa. (EYT) — A portion of State Route 28 is temporarily shut down in the New Bethlehem area as rising waters and moving ice on Redbank Creek have created hazardous flooding conditions.
The roadway is closed in front of the Miller Medical Center near the intersection of Route 28 and Fairmount Avenue.
According to Mayor Gordon Barrows, the closure was prompted by significant ice jams following warmer temperatures and rain earlier this week. The Redbank Valley School District dismissed students early Thursday afternoon as a precaution to ensure emergency services could navigate the area and to keep students off potentially dangerous roadways. In New Bethlehem, borough crews have already begun moving picnic tables from Gumtown Park near the dam—a customary seasonal move during thaw conditions—while emergency responders monitor a slow rise in the creek level.
A continuous fire siren tone has been authorized to alert residents of active flooding, particularly in the Summerville area where high water was first reported. Borough Public Works and local first responders are actively watching ice movement, and tenants in low-lying areas are being encouraged to relocate their vehicles to the municipal parking lot. Mayor Barrows emphasized that these measures are proactive and typical for the seasonal melt, though he urged the public to stay away from moving water.
Motorists are reminded to obey all road closures and to “turn around, don’t drown” when encountering flooded streets.