Residents protested potential plans to tear down a historic bridge from the early 1900s.
A group held up a poster with “Save the Skinner’s Falls Bridge” splayed across it. They chanted “Whose bridge? Our bridge!” to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
Transportation officials held their last Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) meeting on Thursday night. They played a pre-recorded presentation on the project and answered questions in another room.
PELs assess possible ways to restore, demolish or replace existing structures. The PEL will influence the engineering and design process, according to PennDOT.
The Skinners Falls Bridge is one of the nation’s last Baltimore truss bridges, according to PennDOT. It connects Damascus Township, Wayne County, Pennsylvania to Cochecton, Sullivan County, New York.
Steven Ircha protested plans to demolish the bridge. He owns the house next door, which was built by the bridge’s engineer.
“Milton Skinner erected a bridge, he erected a toll booth and he used to charge people whatever, five cents, ten cents, 25 cents to cross the river,” said Ircha.
PennDOT closed the bridge in 2019 due to infrastructure deterioration. Chris Tomaszewski, the project’s design consultant manager, broke down PennDOT’s options.
“Well, a new modern bridge of course would be the most safe structure for this crossing,” said Tomaszewski. “Y’know, this structure was built about a hundred years ago at a capacity of nine tons. It’s very narrow. But, we understand the significance to the historical district.”
Milanville, the Pennsylvania side of the bridge, is a historic village. Residents fear the community will lose its historical charm if the bridge is demolished.
However, PennDOT’s architectural historian worries restoration will not be enough to protect the bridge. Heather Gerling said the bridge could still lose its spot on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).
“There comes a certain point where you’ve replaced too much historic fabric, and the structure kind of becomes what we would consider a replica and not exactly the original historic bridge,” said Gerling. “So, we don’t want to cross that line, but we also want to make sure we can get as much sort of weight tonnage out of the bridge as possible while we’re rehabbing, so we do a fine dance.”
Thursday’s meeting was the last preliminary stage of the project, according to PennDOT’s Chris Tomaszewski. AECOM, PennDOT’s engineer, will use public comment and the environmental study to start the design phase of the project.
Tomaszewski added that it could take several years until residents see final project plans. He said each project, from demolition to restoration, will cost tens of millions of dollars. PennDOT does not have enough funding for the project.
“Well, I think it might have to go through more of a legislative avenue to see if additional funds can be provided for this project, because, y’know, there’s only so much funding available. And so,...different areas are allocated a certain amount of funding. So, a project like this would take funding that is allocated for the next five to ten years,” said Tomaszewski.
Residents can submit public comments until May 26, 2024 via email to skinnersfallsbridge@aecom.com, or mail to Amy Lolli, PennDOT Assistant Liaison Engineer, Department of Transportation, District Office 4-0, 55 Keystone Industrial Park, Dunmore, PA 18512.
For more information on the project, visit PennDOT's Skinners Falls Bridge webpage.
