Traffic slammed to a halt on I-79 northbound in Washington County on Wednesday morning due to a landslide that caused the traffic closure, and there is concern it could happen again.

The landslide created a myriad of issues, the biggest being traffic backups, but PennDOT said that's a risk when the winter thaw happens. 

Engineers with PennDOT said the slide sent debris across both lanes of I-79 in an area where landslides are not uncommon. While they were able to quickly clear the roads and get traffic flowing again, they said that the cause was gravity and the weather. 

"In southwestern Pennsylvania, the soils that we have are susceptible to landslides," said PennDOT District 12's Robert Dean. "When we see differences in the water table, rain, and we see the freeze and thaw, the land will give way and slip, and we'll see soil fall onto the roadway." 

PennDOT will continue to monitor the area, but right now believes there is no apparent threat of a larger slide. 

Two SUVs were disabled, but the drivers were not hurt. 

One thing PennDOT District 12 officials know is that when it comes to landslides and rock falls, they've got many to contend with.

"In District 12, which is Washington, Westmoreland, Fayette and Green County, we currently have an inventory of 280 locations where we monitor landslides in the district," Dean said.

Landslide causes hour-long closure on I-79

For a little over an hour on Wednesday morning, a portion of I-79 was shut down due to the landslide. 

According to the Pennsylvania State Police, the landslide caused "multiple rocks and dirt" to spill onto the roadway near mile marker 45. 

At first, both lanes were shut down, but not long after the slide, one lane was reopened. 

The closure took place between exit 43 (Houston-Eighty Four) and exit 45 (Canonsburg). 

Crews quickly responded to the scene, attempting to clear the rock debris.