BUFFALO TWP — The Butler-Freeport Community Trail is closed until later this week between the Monroe Road and Bear Creek Road trailheads.

Chris Ziegler, president of the Butler-Freeport Community Trail Council, said council members noticed a significant crack on the trail's surface in that area and were reminded of the large construction project last year when the dirt beneath a crack in the trail collapsed and washed into Buffalo Creek.

“We wanted to get ahead of it,” Ziegler said of the crack found this year.

Engineers were called in and work began on Sept. 27 to shore up the ground beneath the crack at the section of trail before it, too, collapsed.

Placing rocks

Ziegler said contractors dug to a depth of 20 feet and are shoring up the ground with huge rocks, which are methodically placed to prevent a collapse.

She said the trucks carrying the soil out and the rocks in can only access the section one at a time, which is causing some delay.

“You have to place (the rocks), you can't just dump them,” Ziegler said.

While the council got a permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection in case workers had to enter the creek like last year, the earth did not tumble into the creek.

“We were ahead of the game this time,” Ziegler said.

The trail is expected to reopen later this week.

Paying for repairs

The $50,000 cost for the repairs will hopefully be earned at the council's annual Buffalo Creek Half Marathon, which will be held at 9 a.m. Oct. 20.

All runners in the 13.1-mile race will receive a finisher's medal, long sleeve Tek T-shirt and food and drink.

Placement medals will be awarded to winners in a variety of categories.

The council has some 800 participants now, and can accommodate 1,250.

Ziegler stressed that volunteers are sorely needed for the half marathon to perform a host of tasks. Volunteers would work the race from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Runners who want more information or to register can log onto www.runsignup.com.

Volunteers can email Ziegler at butlerfreeporttrail@yahoo.com.