Norfolk Southern executives said last year that the railroad would back away from rushing inspections because of safety concerns. But the new directive about minute-long inspections appears to reverse the stance.
Travel is expected to be tricky Monday afternoon as Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are expected to be in the area on the final day of the presidential campaign before Election Day.
A three-mile stretch of Route 611 between Northampton and Monroe counties will reopen Tuesday morning. Portland Borough business owners say the protracted shutdown has crippled business.
The "political convoy" is scheduled to occur Sunday afternoon starting at Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays in North Whitehall Township and head south toward the Allentown area before heading back to the target-shooting facility.
At a hearing at Nitschmann Middle School in Bethlehem, concerned residents voiced worries about what could happen in the case of a train derailment of hazardous material.