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UPDATE: Downtown Crane Causing Traffic Snarls

WILKES-BARRE — A downtown construction project led to long backups, cars going the wrong way down one-way streets, and fuming tempers. All that confusion ...

WILKES-BARRE -- A downtown construction project led to long backups, cars going the wrong way down one-way streets, and fuming tempers.

All that confusion happened along South Franklin Street in Wilkes-Barre, as contractors used a crane to work on apartments inside one of the tallest buildings in the city.

The work is being done inside the high rise many know as the Citizens Bank building.

Several floors are being converted into apartments and a crane is hoisting up drywall.

This unexpected road block on South Franklin Street upset quite a few downtown workers and shoppers.

During the morning rush, police were turning around some drivers on Northampton Street trying to cross through downtown using South Franklin Street, which is one way.

Other drivers were told to drive the wrong way down South Franklin Street.

The manager of the bank building says the crane was needed to hoist drywall up into the air and into the high-rise to build those new luxury apartments.

drywall

Some drivers say they wish there had been a little warning.

"I couldn't even turn onto this street here. It was just gridlock all the way down and finally got on and tried to turn us around. I'm still sitting here probably a good 30 minutes now," said Brooke Matza.

Some people are upset. Others say they're glad to see a project to bring people downtown and this is just the cost of progress.

The crane was moved out and the street reopened shortly after noon.

The building manager told Newswatch 16 that he does not expect that the crane will be needed again in the foreseeable future.

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