Ya Hoooo! The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has - at last - decided to fix the Elco Hill section of Route 88. That's exceptionally good news, because the way things were going, someone was going to get killed on the roadway. Landslides have for months plagued Elco Hill. One portion of the roadway has been limited to one-lane traffic for much of that time. Another section experienced major slides just days apart. The Elco Hill slides involve more than just messy mud. Huge trees and boulders have tumbled down the hillside and onto Route 88. One area resident last week embarked upon a "personal mission" to force PennDOT to improve safety on Elco Hill. Larry Celaschi's concerns are well-founded. The Allenport resident said he nearly was buried by one slide, and that's not all. Celaschi said a boulder crashed into his wife's car -...with their child inside the vehicle. Last week, PennDOT officials said they hoped to have the roadway open by Good Friday. After the most recent slide, however, the highway department shifted gears. PennDOT said it will keep the section closed until the hill can be stabilized and fencing erected to protect motorists from debris. Good. Temporary solutions, at times, are effective. That is not he case on Elco Hill, where every rainstorm strikes fear into area motorists who depend on that section of Route 88. After months of extremely wet weather, PennDOT is struggling to address landslide damage throughout the region. Elco Hill, though, requires special attention. Based on recent events, there is no evidence the slides have ended. PennDOT says it will solve the problem, once and for all. The highway department deserves a chance to accomplish that task. We'll be watching, though, to make sure it fulfills its promise. And up at "mission control" in Allenport, Larry Celaschi will be placing close attention to the situation, too.

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