The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced Monday that work to remove the Skinners Falls Bridge will begin this week.
The bridge, which connects Pennsylvania and New York, has been deemed a safety hazard due to its failing substructure and superstructure, according to PennDOT. A January 2025 inspection revealed further deterioration, with the New York abutment and upstream truss bearing areas actively moving.
Appearing on Radio Chatskill Tuesday, PennDot District 4 Executive Rich Roman says the removal won’t and can’t actually begin until mid-March because of the icepack on the Delaware River.
What PennDot has not done is consider the opinion of someone that can and has restored historic bridges with similar faults.
PennDot needs to think out of the box.
PennDot is not accustomed with restoration.
As shown by an outside consultant brought in by DCS, the NY side support can be repaired. This will result in an opportunity to get on top of the bridge and install netting under bridge.
Then the historic can be restored.
Skinners Falls Bridge needs to be saved, not taken down.
PennDOT spent FIVE YEARS and produced no plans whatsoever for the Skinners Falls Bridge Rehabilitation. In public meetings, as the FIVE plans were presented, then reduced to THREE, there was never mention of DEMOLITION.
If I were Governor Josh Shapiro, I would be concerned for STATE FUNDINGof PennDOT and hold PennDOT accountable for non-performance and endangering the public through negligence of the Skinners Falls Bridge Project.