x
Breaking News
More () »

Cracks, Tree Inspected on Market Street Bridge

WILKES-BARRE — PennDOT crews spent the day inspecting a landmark bridge over the Susquehanna River in Luzerne County. There was some concern after reports...

WILKES-BARRE -- PennDOT crews spent the day inspecting a landmark bridge over the Susquehanna River in Luzerne County.

There was some concern after reports came in of a few cracks and a tiny tree growing out of one of the columns.

Inspectors usually focus on the roadway and underneath the bridge deck during their routine checks, but today, those crews also looked at the iconic columns topped by eagles on the Market Street Bridge that have stood up against some wild weather.

The historic span over the Susquehanna River is considered the gateway to Wilkes-Barre.

Bob Bachman of Ross Township says the four eagles atop the columns on the bridge are a beloved landmark.

"I walked over this bridge 65 years ago and that one facing Wilkes-Barre, somebody threw a ball up when they were a kid, and it stuck in the crack," Bachman said.

That ball is gone, but a few cracks and another discovery led to a change in the plans for a routine inspection.

"Some folks have been calling in saying that there is a sapling, a small tree, that`s growing on the top of one of the pylons," said PennDOT spokesman James May.

During the inspection under the bridge, May said crews also looked at the columns. He said the cracks and gaps don't appear to be new and that tiny tree will be removed.

"Roots can eventually do a lot of damage to a structure so we want to make sure that we get this early. We can figure out what the cause of it is, get rid of it, and make sure it doesn't happen again," May said.

May said the bridge, built with concrete, steel, and granite in the 1920s, is in good shape after surviving storms like Agnes and the flood waters of 2011.

Jerry Robinson of Wilkes-Barre walks over the bridge with his family quite a bit and says he's glad to see it being maintained.

"My daughter loves to look at it and stuff. It's been here since I've been a little kid. I used to enjoy going across the bridge, looking at the eagles," Robinson said.

The last inspection of the Market Street Bridge got a rating of 68 out of 100.

PennDOT says that sapling will be ripped out soon and they say the eagles, columns, and the bridge should be around for a long time.

Before You Leave, Check This Out