In 1977, Debra LaForm stepped out of her stalled car on Easton Avenue during a rainstorm to make a call for help from the nearby hotel now known as The Keystone Pub. Returning to her car, she suddenly vanished. She had stepped into an open drainage ditch, which sucked her body through an 18-inch pipe and, ultimately, into the Nancy Run Creek.

Her body was found eight hours later.

This has been a problem area in Bethlehem Township for many years because it is a low point in the Nancy Run watershed. Township engineer Leonard Fraivillig refused to approve PennDOT plans for stormwater along that roadway because he believed a straight 96-inch pipe would be necessary to drain the ditch on the west side of Santee Road. Penn DOT went ahead anyway. Fraivillig's plan was never acted on because it was too costly.

Fast forward to 2015, and the flash flooding and stormwater drainage at this area of Easton Avenue is still an issue.

Across the street from where LaForm lost her life is a collapsed culvert, next to Easton Avenue, in an area characterized by Solicitor Jim Broughal as "no man's land". Who owns it? Is it the township, PennDOT, an abandoned trolley company or adjoining property owner? Nobody seems to know. But one thing everyone seems to agree on is that the area needs to be repaired. Not only is it an eyesore, but it is a public safety hazard.

"Once you undertake repairs, it is the township's responsibility," warned Solicitor Wendy Nicolosi during a meeting in February. But at their March 16 meeting, four commissioners voted to spend $17,000 to implement Engineer Brian Dillman's solution to the problem: A French drain. That's a trench filled with stones and a perforated pipe that redirects stormwaters.

"It seems PennDOT just wants to push this off on us," complained Michael Hudak, who was the sole vote against undertaking repairs. But he agreed that the area is a public safety hazard.

"Somebody has to take a chance and move it forward," argued President Marty Zawarski. Tom Nolan agreed, noting that the repairs would make the area safer for everyone.

Though PennDOT insisted it had no responsibility for the site, it is willing to supply the materials to fix it, provide flagmen and is even willing to waive the cumbersome highway occupancy permit that would otherwise be required.

As the township prepared to undertake the repairs itself, a former PennDOT employee named Scott Culpepper came forward. He was on the PennDOT road crew that installed the heavy grates and culvert in that location in the early '70s.

President Marty Zawarski said he plans to pursue this matter with State Senator Lisa Boscola. It appears PennDOT, which did most of the drainage work in that area, may be responsible for work after all.

"If in fact PennDOT did install the grates, then it is clearly their responsibility, not ours," said Hudak.

Drainage in this area has been a source of friction between the township and City of Bethlehem since the '50s, according to a Superior Court opinion in the Laform case.