Pocono News Section

COLTS to Redesign Scranton Intermodal Center

COLTS to Redesign Scranton Intermodal Center - Thursday, March 25, 2010 at 04:02AM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Thursday March 25 2010
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SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY - It's back to the drawing board for a long awaited transportation project in Lackawanna County.

Late Thursday afternoon, officials with the County of Lackawanna Transit System (COLTS) said they are starting over with plans to build an intermodal center in downtown Scranton.

Plans to build the center on Lackawanna Avenue have been in the planning stages for more than five years but nothing has ever materialized.

COLTS officials say they still want to locate the project in the 100-block of Lackawanna Avenue and they still want it to be a hub for not only buses but taxis and even possibly rail service.

As Eyewitness News first told you last week, in August 2005, the federal government said former Commissioner Bob Cordaro used his influence to have COLTS hire an unnamed company and in return Cordaro allegedly received a $90,000 kickback.

Cordaro has since been indicted on 40 charges. As a result, the federal government demanded $907,000 of its money back. That stalled the project until Thursday's vote.

COLTS officials say by starting over they will be able to build an environmentally conscious building. There is no timetable for when the project will be redesigned by or when construction could possibly begin.