WHITE HAVEN, PA -- The U.S. Army Corps Engineers’ Philadelphia District announced sections of Walter Dam Road (and through traffic between Bear Creek Road and Route 940) will be closed from April 26 through June 30 for repairs and road reconstruction.
Road repairs and paving work began in the summer of 2020 and is being conducted in phases. Work this spring and early summer will progress as follows:
- From April 26 to on/about May 28: road work will take place on Walter Dam Road from the disc golf course area on the Route 940 side of the dam to the motorboat launch. During this phase, there will be no access to the motorboat launch and no through traffic between Bear Creek Road and Route 940. Visitors can launch motorboats from the kayak launch during this time.
- From June 1 to on/about June 30: the road across the top of the dam will be reconstructed. During this phase, the motorboat launch and kayak launch can be accessed from either side of the dam, but there will be no access across the top of the dam and thus no through traffic between Bear Creek Road and Route 940.
- From July 1 to July 30: contractors will be conducting road shoulder work, sealing cracks, and cleaning up the site. During this phase, the public will be able to travel across the dam and access all areas, but there will be lane restrictions.
Gates and signage will be put in place along with designated areas for people to safely turn around.
The Francis E. Walter Dam was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1961 and has prevented more than $220 million in flood damages. It also supports recreation in the Lehigh Valley with planned fishing and whitewater rafting water releases.
Release no. 21-008