Sawkill gets attention, workers get bagels

By Frances Ruth Harris
MILFORD — On June 29, state highway workers installed a guardrail that covers from 65 to 70 percent of Sawkill Road, including the area where Marian Foran flew off in Spril.

The guardrail was placed near the portion of road that immediately drops into a gully, where Foran's accident occurred, as well as in other drop-off hazards along Sawkill.

The road was not built up, and still dips down. There's no shoulder, and much to keep the rails stable over time — gully or no gully.

The decaying road needs to be built up, and shoulders need to be established. Safety is still iffy.

Coming east from Route 6 East on Sawkill is still a nightmare for drivers. But the new guardrail is a start.

On July 2, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) filled some potholes on Sawkill Road. One, running in front of Regi Charlot’s property, is a monster — at least 35 feet long and two to four feet wide. There's no base road. Drainage is poor.

On July 2, Joyce Van Nest delivered bagels to the PennDOT office in Milford. Last month, Van Nest promised during a meeting with Ken Thiele, PennDOT maintenance manager for Pike County; Milford residents Sandy Lafort, Helga Becking, Gayle Darcy; and Don Wuchter, PennDOT's east side maintenance assistant manager, that she would deliver bagels when they filled the potholes on Sawkill. VanNest kept her promise, even though many holes still await their attention.

Becking, Charlot, Darcy, Foran, and Van Nest say they are grateful for the small measure of protection that the new guardrail and newly filled potholes bring to the disintegrating Sawkill. But they plan to keep the pressure on. In July 2016, they want to hear about who gets the bid to actually build the new road.

There's a long winter ahead before bidding begins. Actual construction could be two years away or more.