Jul 15, 2002 By Christine Haines 4 min read

ROSCOE – The Roscoe Volunteer Fire Department is called out at least 10 times a year for rockslides and related accidents on Elco Hill. Fire Chief Thomas J. Wilkinson is asking the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to do something to remedy the problem being caused by a retaining fence that has not been maintained. The fence consists of steel I-beams with heavy chain link fence between the posts. The fence is re-enforced with thick steel cables.

There are several areas where the chain link fence is missing and where the cables are slack. In one area, large stones bulge against the fence, pushing it over the guide rail.

“We get called up there a lot for rocks that come down. We’re concerned about the safety for the motorists and particularly for the school buses,” Wilkinson said.

David Whitlatch, the geotechnical engineer for the PennDOT District 12, said there are 279 rock fall areas on state roads in Washington County alone. Under the state rating system, the Elco Hill slide area ranks 33rd. Whitlatch said area geology, traffic figures, the presence of any restraining device and sight distance play a part in the rating system.

Although PennDOT is going to get cost estimates for the work to remedy the situation, Whitlatch said that it legally isn’t PennDOT’s responsibility.

“This rock fall is located in Elco Borough. Under state law, PennDOT is only responsible from white line to white line,” Whitlatch said. “The ultimate responsibility for that rock fall zone is Elco Borough.”

Whitlatch said PennDOT did initially install the fence around 1965 and has provided some maintenance work there over the years.

Martin Rapsack, the assistant Washington County maintenance engineer, said cost estimates are being sought for repairing the current system and cleaning out the rocks that have already fallen, and for cutting the hillside back to eliminate the slide area entirely.

“It’s not cheap. We’ll have to get special financing to do this. It’s not in our budget,” Rapsack said.

“We’re going to try to get funding for this, but ultimately, the responsibility is on Elco Borough,” Whitlatch said.

“Well, that’s kind of ludicrous to expect Elco Borough with a few hundred people to be responsible for this,” said state Rep. Peter J. Daley (D-California). “You tell us what we need to do to help facilitate your getting funding for this project. There is no way Washington County or Elco Borough or Roscoe Borough or any of these communities are going to be able to pay for this.”

Whitlatch said PennDOT thought they would be able to cut back the hillside several years ago, during the construction of Toll 43, with the stone used as fill, but the Turnpike Commission went with another site for the fill material. That plan would have had the excavation work done at no cost to PennDOT, Whitlatch said.

“This cleaning of the rocks (from behind the barrier) is a temporary solution. If you say the (Roscoe) Sportsmen’s (Club members) are willing to give you the land, that would take care of the problem permanently,” said Olga Woodward, a member of the Mid-Mon Valley Transit Authority.

“It’s far from a temporary fix if we repair the fence. The one that’s there now has been there since 1965,” Rapsack said.

“We don’t have the money to just go in and cut it,” Whitlatch said.

“Let’s get it done before someone gets killed,” Woodward replied.

Daley said he would be willing to meet with the secretary of transportation on behalf of District 12 in order to secure funding for the project.

Rapsack said cost estimates for the project should be ready in three to four weeks, at which time funding sources can be sought.