PennDOT to replace Newton Twp. bridge damaged by flooding

CHRISTINE LEE, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa.
·3 min read

NEWTON TWP. — Nearly a year after floodwaters destroyed part of a heavily traveled township bridge, a new one will be built.

State Department of Transportation officials plan to construct a 41-foot span prestressed spread box beam bridge on Falls Road over Falls Creek. Construction is expected to start in the fall, with the project costing an estimated $2 million, PennDOT spokeswoman Liz Fabri said. The work will also include road reconstruction, shoulder grading and new guardrails.

Flash flooding on Sept. 9 caused the previous 22-foot single span steel stringer bridge to collapse. Four people were injured the night of the flood driving into the collapsed bridge, which was built in 1937. PennDOT crews put in a temporary bridge over three 60-inch plastic pipes two weeks later.

Nicole Christiano lives less than 500 feet from the bridge and remembers when the floodwaters inundated it. Those same waters dumped 80 feet of rocks in her yard.

“The flooding ... was insane,” she said, showing photos of the rocks and a video of the floodwaters on her smartphone Wednesday afternoon. “The creek is usually so low.”

Christiano, who has lived near the bridge for three years, said the new one will be good but wonders about its impact on her property. She hopes it will fit in with the rural surroundings.

“I’m hoping it looks similar,” Christiano said.

Keith Eckel, owner of Eckel Farms, which is next to the bridge, said he had never seen it get damaged in the 75 years he has lived near it.

“I was shocked that it was taken out by flooding,” he said in his office Wednesday.

Eckel said the temporary bridge has worked well and having it is vital to his farm’s operations. Last year, he said the farm harvested 85,000 bushels of shelled corn, 10,000 bushels of soybeans, 25,000 bushels of sweet corn and 10,000 large face pumpkins. Not having access to the bridge could be hard for it.

“It’s vital to our operations,” Eckel said. “Getting around with the detours could be challenging.”

Christiano and Eckel were impressed with how quickly the temporary bridge went up. While Eckel is in favor of the new bridge being built, he said more should be done to maintain the creek’s water level.

The road spanning the bridge is busy, with PennDOT data recording a little more than 2,000 vehicles traveling the road. Traffic will be diverted onto Newton Ransom Boulevard, Church Hill Road, Route 307 and Airport Drive during construction of the new bridge.

The township was among the most heavily damaged municipalities from flash flooding in September, along with parts of the Abingtons and Scranton. Supervisors Chairman Doug Pallman estimates the township sustained more than $800,000 in damage from the storm. Although township officials were able to pay for the damages, he is disappointed that state and federal officials haven’t stepped up to help municipalities like his.

“We had multiple elected officials on site within one to two days after the disaster and all vowed to get the financial resources available to townships like Newton,” he said. “We haven’t received any financial support. To use up over $800,000 on storm damages is very unfortunate and we were hoping to have received financial support from PEMA or FEMA.”

PennDOT crews have made progress repairing several roads and bridges damaged by flooding in Lackawanna, Luzerne and Wyoming counties in the last few months, Fabri said. They included shoulder and pavement restoration, debris removal, pipe flushing and replacements, removing downed trees and placing rock protection at existing structures.

“Crews in all counties worked efficiently to open and offer safe roads to the traveling public,” she said.

PennDOT officials will discuss the project plans at a meeting Monday at 5:30 p.m. in the township municipal building. Public comment on it will be accepted online through Monday.