Scranton, PA— Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), in coordination with the City of Scranton, has started preliminary design for the Scranton Local Bridges Project, which includes the replacement of the following four bridges: Elm Street, North Main Avenue, Parker Street, and West Lackawanna Avenue. PennDOT has launched a website for the Scranton Local Bridges Project, which allows the public to track the progress of each bridge replacement. The website can be viewed by visiting PennDOT’s District 4 website and clicking on “Construction Projects and Roadwork.” “The ability for the public to track the progress of each bridge project through the PennDOT website is a welcome resource and one that we hope citizens will use to keep updated and also learn about the complexity of large infrastructure projects,” said Mayor Paige Cognetti. “Replacing these four bridges will not only improve Scranton’s critical infrastructure, it will create jobs and improve quality of life for residents.” While the preliminary design phase will continue for approximately 18 months, the website will be updated regularly. For now, PennDOT is evaluating each bridge to determine the appropriate work required during construction. “We will be on-site during this spring and summer to complete surveys, in-depth bridge inspections and traffic counts,” explained Jennifer Borino, PE, PennDOT Project Manager. “We will use this information to evaluate environmental constraints, develop preliminary plans and determine an appropriate means to maintain and protect traffic during construction.” Once the existing conditions are evaluated and preliminary design is complete, PennDOT will schedule a public officials’ briefing and a public meeting to be held late this year. Then, once construction on the four bridges begins in 2024, updates to the Scranton Local Bridges Project website will become more frequent to minimize impacts to the community and motorists who rely on these crossings daily. Updates will include construction schedules and information on any closures and detours. To learn more about The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, visit https://www.penndot.gov/Pages/default.aspx. Feel free to visit our PennDOT Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/PennsylvaniaDepartmentofTransportation/, follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/penndotnews, and like us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/pennsylvaniadot/.

MEDIA CONTACT: Michael Taluto, 570-963-3502.

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