State transportation officials are planning more than a billion dollars in road and bridge work throughout Northeast Pennsylvania this year, including 52 new projects totalling over $300 million.
That is, PennDOT District 4 Executive Richard N. Roman said, a "high-water mark" for the six-county district, spanning Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties.
Together with 95 ongoing projects representing $946 million, the agency expects to have $1.2 billion in active projects across the district in 2025.
A county-by-county rundown of the projects can be found at the end of this story.
"We're proud of the amount of work that we have going on, and we're looking forward to another safe and successful season," Roman said.
The 2025 projects are a combination of highway improvements on the region's Interstate highways and state roads, and will largely comprise bridge projects and other safety improvements, Roman said.
But it also includes maintenance of the region's extensive infrastructure base: District 4 operates and maintains over 4,000 miles of roads and 2,100 bridges, he added.
"The key for us is once we build it, we need to make sure that we're properly maintaining it ... keeping the roads open and safe and passable for for the traveling public, but also making sure that this large investment that we have is properly maintained so we squeeze every every bit of life out of the money that we're spending," Roman said.
Of that $300 million in new work, an estimated 90% is for bridges, he added.
The average age of PennDOT bridges in the district is over 50 years, "and that's when bridges start to need to be rehabilitated and preserved," Roman said.
"A lot of our bridges are beyond 50 years, so that means they need to be replaced, and that comes at a tremendous capital cost," he added.
Some highlights
The new work will run the gamut from urban to rural, with projects large and small.
The projects will include a North Main Avenue bridge replacement over Leggett Creek in Scranton; multiple bridge replacements on Interstate 81 in Dorrance Township, Luzerne County; there will be road improvements on several highways in Luzerne County, including Nescopeck Borough and Dallas Township; as well as numerous bridge projects in Pike County and similar projects throughout the region.
Significant Ongoing projects include the $120 million "twin bridges" project on Interstate 84 in Roaring Brook, Lackawanna County; reconstruction on sections of Interstate 84 in Pike County; and improvements to the Interstate 81-Route 115 interchange in Luzerne County.
And those just scratch the surface.
Overall statistics in the 2024 construction season for District 4 include:
- 169 miles of roadway improvements.
- 305 bridges will be addressed.
- 490 miles of seal coat.
- 1,287 miles of crack sealing.
- 1,143 miles of shoulder cutting.
Wherever the work is being done, Roman and his team have a message for the traveling public: Slow down and stay alert.
"When you're driving through a work zone, you should always be careful," Roman said.
"You should always adhere to the speed. You should always adhere to the changing of conditions — whether it's a lane change, a shoulder change or whatever kind of restriction there is — but just make sure that you're driving attentively and driving as slowly and safely as you can," he said.
"Make sure that the people that are serving us by fixing our roads and bridges are able to get home at the end of the day and join their families and do it all again."
NEW PROJECTS
Notable PennDOT District 4 projects that are expected to begin this year by county include:
Lackawanna County
■ Surface improvement on Routes 3019 (Lonesome Road), 3023 (Pittston Avenue), and 11 (Pittston Avenue) in various municipalities.
■ Bridge replacement on North Main Avenue over Leggetts Creek in the City of Scranton.
■ Bridge preservation on Route 307 over Interstate 380 in Covington Township.
■ Roadway widening and intersection improvement on Cortez Road, Wimmers Road, and Route 348 Mount Cobb Road in Jefferson Township.
■ Multiple bridge replacement projects on Route 435, bridge culvert replacement project on Front Street, culvert replacement project under the Delaware Lackawanna Railroad in Elmhurst Township.
■ Bridge preservation on Route 3020 (Linden Street) over Lackawanna Railroad in the City of Scranton.
■ Bridge preservation on Route 6 over Norfolk Southern Railroad in Clarks Summit Borough.
■ Roadway improvement on Route 632 in Scott Township.
■ Bridge replacement on G.C. Smith Street in Elmhurst Township.
■ Culvert replacement on Route 347 over Kennedy Creek in Scott Township.
■ Bridge rehabilitation on Route 8025 over Roaring Brook and Service Road in the City of Scranton.
■ Bridge preservation on Route 8025 over Ramp D in the City of Scranton.
■ Bridge replacement on Route 307 over Williams Bridge in Roaring Brook Township.
■ Bridge rehabilitation on Route 3023 over Roaring Brook in the City of Scranton.
■ Surface improvement on Routes 3012 and 3047 in various municipalities in Lackawanna County.
■ Signal improvement at various Intersections on Route 3013 (Main Street) in the City of Scranton.
■ Bridge replacement on Route 4036 over Falls Creek in Newton Township.
■ Bridge replacement on Lackawanna Avenue over Norfolk Southern Railroad in the City of Scranton.
■ Bridge rehabilitation on Route 435 over Van Brunt Creek in Moscow Borough.
■ Pavement replacement on Interstate 81 in the City of Scranton and Dunmore Borough.
■ Bridge replacement on Goers Hills Road over White Oak Run in Archbald Borough.
Luzerne County
■ Culvert replacement on Route 1005 over Brown’s Creek in Jackson Township.
■ Bridge replacement on Route 239 over Pine Creek in Huntington Township.
■ Bridge repair on Route 4018 over Pine Creek in Huntington Township.
■ Bridge maintenance on Route 11 over Route 2037, the Susquehanna River, and the Fort Jenkins in West Pittston.
■ Pavement mark legends project on multiple state routes in Luzerne County.
■ Bridge superstructure replacement on Route 11 over Hunlock Creek in Hunlock Township.
■ Culvert replacement on Route 3040 over a tributary to Nescopeck Creek in Sugarloaf Township.
■ Multiple bridge replacements on Interstate 81 in Dorrance Township.
■ Culvert replacement on Route 4024 over Laurel Run in Ross Township.
■ Bridge superstructure replacement on Route 3019 over Hazle Creek in Hazle Township.
■ Bridge preservation on Route 2026 over Gardner’s Creek in Laflin Borough.
■ Surface improvement on Route 93 in Nescopeck Borough, Route 1047 in Dallas Township, and Route 2001 in Ashley Borough in Luzerne County.
■ Bridge preservation on Route 1013 over Toby’s Creek in Luzerne Borough.
■ Bridge preservation on Route 2007 in City of Wilkes-Barre.
Pike County
■ Bridge rehabilitation on Route 447 in Greene Township.
■ Bridge rehabilitation on Route 6 in Matamoras.
■ Bridge replacement on Route 390 in Greene Township.
Susquehanna County
■ Bridge replacement on Route 1033 over a tributary to the Susquehanna River in Great Bend Township.
■ Bridge replacement on Route 3004 over a tributary to Riley Creek in Auburn Township.
■ Tunkhannock Creek bridge preservation in Lenox Township.
■ Resurfacing on Route 11 in Lenox Township.
■ Bridge replacement on Route 167 over Martins Creek in Hop Bottom Township.
Wayne County
■ Bridge removal on Route 1002 over Skinners Falls in Damascus Township.
■ Bridge replacement on Route 4043 over Branch Sherman’s Creek in Scott Township.
■ Bridge replacement on Route 3018 over Branch Middle Creek in South Canaan Township.
■ Bridge replacement on Route 3018 over a tributary to Middle Creek in South Canaan Township.
■ Bridge replacement on Route 590 over an inlet to Finn Swamp in Paupack Township.
■ Bridge replacement on Route 1023 over South Branch Equinunk Creek in Buckingham and Manchester Townships.
■ Bridge replacement on Route 4001 over Van Auken Creek in Clinton Township.
Wyoming County
■ Roadway improvements and resurfacing on Route 29/3003 Sugar Hollow in Eaton Township.
■ Bridge replacement on Route 3002 over Bowmans Creek in Noxen Township.
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ONGOING PROJECTS
Notable PennDOT District 4 projects continuing this year by county include:
Lackawanna County
■ Concrete paving and bridge preservation on Robert P. Casey Highway (Route 6006) in various municipalities.
■ Resurfacing and bridge preservation on seven bridges on the North Scranton Expressway/Route 11 in the City of Scranton.
■ Resurfacing, bridge preservation, and installation of cable median barrier on Interstate 81 northbound and southbound from Dickson City to the Susquehanna County line.
■ Bridge rehabilitation on Route 2013 over Meadow Brook in Clifton Township.
■ Bridge preservation on Route 4026 over Norfolk Southern Railroad in Clark Summit Borough.
■ Bridge rehabilitation on Route 6006 over Leggett’s Creek in the City of Scranton.
■ Bridge replacement on Elm Street over Lackawanna River in the City of Scranton.
■ Bridge replacement on Parker Street over the Lackawanna in the City of Scranton.
■ Bridge preservation on Route 590 over Interstate 84 in Jefferson Township.
■ Bridge replacement on Route 690 over Van Brunt Creek in Moscow Borough.
■ Bridge replacement and interchange reconfiguration on Interstate 84 over the Lackawanna Railroad in Roaring Brook Township and Route 435 in Dunmore Borough.
■ Bridge replacement on Route 6011 (Green Ridge Street) over the Lackawanna River in the City of Scranton.
■ Bridge rehabilitation on Route 6006 over Route 107 in Mayfield Borough.
■ Slope repair and wall replacement project on Route 3011 (Keyser Avenue) in the City of Scranton.
Luzerne County
■ Bridge replacement including Route 115 over Interstate 81 within the Interstate 81/Route 115 interchange in Plains Township.
■ Bridge replacement on Route 2041 over Bear Creek in Bear Creek Township.
■ Bridge replacement on Route 309 over Leonard Creek in Dallas Township.
■ Surface improvement on Route 2007 in Bear Creek Township.
Pike County
■ Bridge rehabilitation on Route 209 in Milford Borough.
■ Interstate roadway reconstruction on I-84 (Fallen Trooper Memorial Highway) from milepost 40 to Exit 46 (Milford).
■ Interstate roadway reconstruction and bridge replacement on I-84 (Fallen Trooper Memorial Highway) from the Palmyra Rest Area to Exit 34 (Lords Valley/Dingmans Ferry) in Palmyra and Blooming Grove townships.
Susquehanna County
■ Bridge rehabilitation on Route 267 over Middle Branch Lake in Forest Lake Township.
■ Bridge rehabilitation on Route 4008 over Laurel Lake in Silver Lake Township.
■ Bridge replacement on Route 706 over Snell Creek in Jessup Township.
■ Bridge replacement on I-81 over the Tunkhannock Creek bridge preservation in Lenox Township, Susquehanna County.
Wayne County
■ Bridge replacement on Route 4041 over Balls Creek in Scott Township.
■ Bridge replacement on Route 3002 over Stevens Creek in Sterling Township.
■ Bridge replacement on Route 170 over the Lackawaxen River in Clinton Township.
■ Bridge replacement on Route 590 over Jones Creek in Salem Township.
Wyoming County
■ Resurfacing project on Route 92 in Tunkhannock Township.
■ Bridge replacement project on Route 29 over an Inlet to Lake Carey in Lemon Township.
■ Nicholson Streetscape project in Nicholson Township.
■ Bridge replacement project on T-337 Dietz Mountain Road over Leonard Creek Route 7210 in Monroe Township.
SOURCE: PennDOT District 4
