Pocono News Section

I-81 Bridge Project in Scranton

I-81 Bridge Project in Scranton - Tuesday, June 8, 2010 at 04:04AM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Tuesday June 08 2010

SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY - A project to replace a pair of bridges in Lackawanna County hit a new milestone Tuesday.

Beams started arriving Tuesday for the Interstate 81 Cemetery Bridge Project in Scranton. More beams will arrive all week.

Drivers should be aware that there will be rolling roadblocks that could slow down traffic.

As crews worked to unload the first beam, homeowners like Kevin Torch came to look at the project's progress. He lives right near the work site and has been keeping an eye on it.

"When they were doing the blasting, that was the hard part and the drilling. The drilling was the hardest because it was long-term. The blasting was short-term. It was kind of annoying but not that bad," Torch said.

Last year, PennDOT announced plans to replace the 40-year-old bridges that overlook Saint Mary's Cemetery. They were old and in need of repair.

Joseph Bowen also lives right near the work zone.

"We're here since 1966 and it was starting to go then. It was bad," Bowen said.

As for the new phase of the project, crews will build a temporary two-lane bridge with all of the steel beams that are being delivered. When it is finished, traffic will be diverted onto that structure.

The entire project is slated to be completed in November 2012. Traffic should be moving on the temporary bridge by mid-September.