A $650,150 project to stop erosion near part of the Wyoming Valley Levee wall in Wilkes-Barre is expected to start next week, Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority officials said during Tuesday’s meeting.
Soil and rock have been sliding downhill at the site near the intersection of Riverside Drive and Academy Street. Dirt must be replaced with large stone rip-rap to restore stability to the bank along the Susquehanna River, officials have said.
A temporary access road will be constructed along the levee toe to bring materials and equipment over the levee to the project site, which is adjacent to the Black Diamond bridge, said authority Executive Director Laura Holbrook.
Informational letters have already been sent to 15 property owners in the Barney Farms neighborhood because they will be most impacted by this temporary road, Holbrook said.
Additional letters were set to be mailed Tuesday to the owners of approximately 135 additional properties in the areas of Dagobert Street and Gordon Avenue because those roads will be used to haul heavy equipment and rock to the project, Holbrook said, noting no roadway closures are planned.
The letter informs residents a section of the river embankment that supports the levee behind their home has “experienced movement and is in need of repair,” which prompted the reinforcement project.
“Routine monitoring and timely maintenance like this are how we keep the levee system performing as it should. By completing this work now, we are investing in the continued strength and reliability of the system that protects your neighborhood,” it said.
The project will be limited to weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and no hauling activity is planned outside these hours or on weekends or holidays, it said.
Truck traffic will be steady during the workday, and residents should expect some additional noise during active hours, it said, thanking them for their patience and cooperation.
Holbrook anticipates the project will be completed in approximately six to eight weeks.
An emergency action plan would be put into effect at the site if the Susquehanna rises before work is completed, authority officials have stressed.
The authority will work closely with the city to address any concerns as they arise, it said.
Residents with questions or concerns should contact the authority at 570-714-4310.
Authority Board member Jay Delaney, who is Wilkes-Barre’s fire chief, said he will be closely monitoring the work.
“This is not a cosmetic thing. This is all about public safety,” Delaney said of the project.
Authority representatives have scheduled a Wednesday pre-construction meeting with the project contractor, Granville Summit, Pennsylvania-based DGR Excavating LLC, Holbrook said.
The authority is prepared to tap its capital fund to pay for the portion of the project not covered by outside awards, which could impact other scheduled projects tied to the levee, officials have said. To date, $200,000 has been secured for the project through the efforts of State Sen. Marty Flynn, D-Dunmore, and state Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre.
Homeland Security
Renovation work continues on an unused portion of the authority headquarters in Forty Fort that has been leased to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Homeland Security will pay the authority approximately $30,000 annually to lease 1,700 square feet in the Wyoming Avenue building for three years, with the option for an additional two-year renewal, officials had said.
The federal government is also paying for all renovations required to occupy the leased space, the authority has emphasized.
Previously, the authority had voted to award the general construction contract to low bidder Bognet Inc. in Hazle Township for $160,417 and the electrical construction contract to the sole bidder, Larry McCullion & Son Electrical Construction Services in Summit Hill for $154,610.
Another $80,315 in change orders was approved Tuesday for additional work to be completed by the electrical contractor.
The project is expected to be completed in the fall, and the federal agency cannot move in until reimbursement is forwarded for all renovation work, officials said.
No other entities were interested in leasing the space when the opportunity was publicly advertised, and the authority board publicly voted on the lease in fall 2024.
The leased space will house administrative offices and will not be outfitted with detention capabilities for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, officials told citizens expressing opposition to the lease last year.