Manager: Past agreements locked in full replacement of Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge

Even though Luzerne County Council has been weighing options to address the Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge, it appears to be locked into a full bridge replacement based on past approvals and submissions, county Manager Romilda Crocamo said Wednesday.

Council recently has been considering two options from Alfred Benesch and Associates, which was hired by the county to determine the “best and most economical option.”

Largely replacing the existing bridge would cost an estimated $40.5 million, while construction of a new bridge to the west would cost $53.6 million plus an estimated $9.5 million to demolish the current one, Benesch has said. Millions of dollars in repairs also could be necessary to keep the current bridge open while a new one is constructed.

The county has access to $55 million from casino gambling revenue, and the state committed an additional $10 million Tuesday.

In her Wednesday communication to council, Crocamo pointed to two documents related to the casino gambling funding that were executed prior to her May 2023 appointment as indicators the county already committed to constructing a new bridge:

• July 12, 2022

Council approved a resolution formally requesting the $55 million Local Share Account grant from the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA), an independent agency that approves all gambling-funded projects.

This resolution said the $55 million would be used for a county public infrastructure program that will include replacement of the Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge as well as maintenance upgrades to other county roads.

Due to the way this county infrastructure fund was set up under state legislation, the county’s request had to be submitted through the county’s Redevelopment Authority.

Council’s resolution designated then-county manager Randy Robertson as the official to execute all documents and agreements between the county, redevelopment authority and CFA to facilitate and assist in obtaining the requested grant.

• July 18, 2022

Acting on the council resolution’s authority, Robertson submitted the application to the redevelopment authority indicating the majority of the $55 million would be used for replacement of the Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge. Remaining funds would be used for a variety of county-owned road projects in the townships of Hunlock, Ross, Dallas, Franklin, Butler, Wright and Hanover, it said.

The application included a projected schedule of bridge work that would be completed in 2023 — water encroachment permitting, right-of-way acquisition and utility clearance. Final design (plans, specifications and bid documents) was anticipated to start in January 2024.

“None of these ‘scheduled’ tasks have been initiated,” Crocamo told council.

Robertson’s application included an engineer estimate submitted and signed by then-county engineer Lawrence Plesh that identified “new bridge” and “demolition” in the work activity.

Relying on this application, the redevelopment authority submitted an application to the CFA, she said.

Final approval

As a side note not mentioned in Crocamo’s communication, some council members had periodically discussed later in 2022 the possibility of changing plans on how the $55 million would be spent, with the understanding they had flexibility. However, council members never approved a change.

Crocamo told council the CFA approved $55 million for the Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge reconstruction last November.

The CFA indicated its approval was made with the understanding that the West Nanticoke Bridge reconstruction project is the priority project for available funding, Crocamo said.

Any change in the approved list, project or funding allocation must first be submitted to the redevelopment authority and then the CFA for consideration and approval, she said.

“At this time, based on prior resolutions, submissions by the county manager, and the award of $54.9 million by the CFA, the county committed to rebuild the bridge,” Crocamo wrote.