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ournal-herald THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2024 • Volume 43 – No. 24 ©2024, THE JOURNAL-HERALD. All Rights Reserved
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Detours and road conditions main East Side concerns about I-80 bridge project
PROJECT MANAGER Elliot Fink from Michael Baker International points out part of the area in East Side to be impacted by the Interstate 80 bridge replacement project. JH: Ruth Isenberg by Ruth Isenberg The John Murphy Room at the White Haven Area Comunity Library had a larger-than-usual crowd for the February 1 East Side Borough Council meeting. In addition to all council members and several guests, a contingent was on hand to provide information to council about the impact the Interstate 80 bridge replacement will have on the community. A presentation on the library’s big screen laid out the basics of the project, very similar to a presentation several months ago in White Haven. Topics touched on incuded the original P-3 bridge project that had proposed tolling the new bridges to pay for them, the demise of that plan, the need to protect public lands and environmental and cultural resources, including the Lehigh River itself, a water trail. New information to most of
the East Side and White Haven officials who attended was the description of detours that will be necessary during some of the construction. The eastbound on-ramp is being relocated and lengthened for the new eastbound bridge, which will be built first, slightly south of the current bridge. That will take about 18 months. When it’s done, eastbound traffic will be moved to that bridge, and westbound traffic will be moved to the old eastbound bridge. The old westbound bridge will be demolished, and a new westbound bridge built in its place. Traffic will be routed to the new bridge, and then the old eastbound bridge will be demolished. As part of this process, the westbound off-ramp will be closed for about five months, a temporary ramp will be open for about 12 months, and then the off-ramp
will be closed again for about three months. River Road, Route 1005, will be closed for the duration of the project, April 2024 through June 2028. Heavy equipment will be staged on the road, and traffic will be detoured via Route 534. East Side officials were concerned about the condition of River Road even before construction vehicles are moved in. Mayor Eric Siglin noted that a tri-axle had collapsed the side of the road last year, rolling into the embankment. Contractor Dan Wagman promised to look closely at the condition of the road before any equipment comes in. “We’re here to do a good job and be a good neighbor for the next four years,” he said, noting that his firm would have its local headquarters on Main
Street in the former PNC Bank building. He also noted that Wagman would be hiring local crews to work on the project. Council also expressed concerns about River Street (Route 940 out of the borough to Kidder Township), and heavier traffic as a result of the detours. Council member Louis Esa said he would like to see a written commitment to Route 940 improvements once the project is over. Route 940 is scheduled for resurfacing and minor repairs in 2029; River Road is not included, but PennDOT would be open to discussing it. Various suggestions to slow down detoured traffic were made. Council president Liz Berger asked for good
DETOUR AROUND RIVER ROAD in East Side. Other detours on page 6.
communications, especially with emergency services, and asked if the Weatherly Area School
See EAST SIDE, page 6