A 14-day thru-traffic closure of Longhouse Scenic Drive is set to start Aug. 5.

The closure will be in place between Jakes Rocks Road and Dewdrop Recreation Area, according to Bradford District ranger Rich Hatfield.

“The contractor is currently working south of Kiasutha, between the Recreation Area and Mud Lick Road,” Hatfield said in an update. “Road is open to thru traffic but one lane may be closed and drivers should expect up to 15 minute delays.”

Patching the pavement for recent culvert replacements is ongoing and can also result in minor delays.

The work is part of a $12 million project to rehabilitate Longhouse Scenic Drive. The Forest Service has partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to bring their project management experience to the table for this effort.

The work will include the replacement of most of the culverts on the road. Repaving, guardrails and signage are also part of the effort. Recreation sites impacted along Longhouse include Jakes Rocks, Dewdrop, Elijah and Kiasutha. A 14-day closure between Jakes Rocks Rd. and Kiasutha is anticipated later this summer or early fall.

Acting Forest Supervisor Vince Keller previously told the Times Observer the Longhouse Scenic Drive project is one of the largest projects on a forest in the nation. Regional officials had pursued various funding streams previously in an attempt to get the work completed but ultimately were not successful until the Great American Outdoors Act was passed. Allegheny National Forest officials then partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which specializes in managing projects of this size. The uniqueness of this project is the partnership between the two federal agencies.

The ANF doesn’t necessarily have the capacity to manage a project this large in-house. However, managing large construction projects is exactly what the Army Corps of Engineers does. The end result is collaboration on a project that will ultimately enhance access to many of the ANF’s most utilized sites.

The road connects Route 59 to recreation sites including Jakes Rocks, Dewdrop, Elijah Run and Kiasutha. Work on the overall project will continue into 2025.