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<p>MOUNTAIN TOP &#8212; The end is near and the road will be clear.</p><p>According to James May, spokesman for PennDOT in Dunmore, there will be a single lane closure on Route 309 between Mountain Top and Wilkes Barre for the next two weeks so crews can complete the final paving.</p><p>May said work will take place from the top of the mountain, through the rock cut, to Pine Run Road at the bottom of the hill.</p><p>The work is part of a $7 million project to improve safety on the mountain by widening the rock cut on Route 309. The project was originally scheduled to be completed last year, but a dirt seam was discovered as crews removed the rock.</p><p>Bob Orloski is a Fairview Township supervisor and operates a business &#8212; Leaf and Ladle &#8212; on Route 309 in Mountain Top. He said the completion of the project has been long awaited.</p><p>&#8220;The milling and paving has begun,&#8221; he said. &#8220;As far as we know, other than some miscellaneous things, this indicates that the project is finishing up.&#8221;</p><p>Orloski said the end of the work has good and bad points.</p><p>&#8220;The good is that traffic will no longer be limited to single lanes during peak travel times up and down the mountain,&#8221; he said. &#8220;However, now that both directions have two lanes open, we hope motorists don&#8217;t return to excessive speeding that has caused many accidents.&#8221;</p><p>Orloski said with winter on its way, the message to motorists is to slow down while traveling up and down the mountain. He said Fairview Township and Hanover Township will do what each municipality can to increase police patrols on the busy roadway.</p><p>&#8220;I would hope we can provide an increased presence of the police,&#8221; he said.</p><p>Hanover Township Manager Sam Guesto Jr. said there was a spike in accidents last year that was initially attributed to speeding. He said there was an issue with the road surface that was partly to blame, but paving will correct the problem.</p><p>&#8220;Some alterations were made to the road,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And with it now being fully paved, it will be a lot safer for travel.&#8221;</p><p>Guesto said Hanover Township Police Chief Al Walker told him customary speed details will be increased during the winter months, as has been the past practice.</p><p>Guesto said his office has not received many complaints about the project, noting he is certain there have been disgruntled drivers who may have encountered delays while Route 309 was open only with one lane each way.</p><p>With motorists selecting alternative routes, Orloski said some businesses may have noticed a drop-off in customers, but it&#8217;s hard to tell. He said with the road work completed, an increase in traffic could result in increased business.</p><p>He said last year&#8217;s winter with a lot of snow resulted in many accidents on Route 309, especially near the bottom of the mountain. He said excessive speed was the main cause of the accidents.</p><p>According to PennDOT, the project was designed to cut the rock slope back away from the roadway and create a rock fall area as a matter of safety.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Cars drive in a single lane along Route 309 between Mountain Top and Wilkes-Barre so PennDOT crews can complete the final paving project. The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of the month. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_TTL102015Route309.jpg</photo0><caption0>Cars drive in a single lane along Route 309 between Mountain Top and Wilkes-Barre so PennDOT crews can complete the final paving project. The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of the month. </caption0><photoCredit0>Sean McKeag | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_TTL102015Route3091.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">PennDOT crews work to clean up the old, cracked pavement before fresh pavement is applied along Route 309 South on Monday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_TTL102015Route3091.jpg</photo1><caption1>PennDOT crews work to clean up the old, cracked pavement before fresh pavement is applied along Route 309 South on Monday. </caption1><photoCredit1>Sean McKeag | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Clear road ahead for Route 309 travelers in Mountain Top