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Old Forge Businesses Survive Bridge Troubles

OLD FORGE — A bridge project in Lackawanna County wraps up this week. Businesses in part of Old Forge said the project, that followed another bridge proje...
lonesome

OLD FORGE -- A bridge project in Lackawanna County wraps up this week.

Businesses in part of Old Forge said the project, that followed another bridge project in neighboring Moosic, has affected their bottom line for almost five years.

Since they started work earlier this year, you could argue that no one has watched the work crew more closely than Jackie Bower. Her neighbors on Lonesome Road in Old Forge aren't too far behind.

It's all businesses here on the stretch of Lonesome Road right next to this bridge that separates Old Forge from Moosic. Jackie Bower is co-owner of Bloomin' Idiots Garden Center.

"I think since we heard it was going to open this week I've been walking on air. Just a good feeling. Finally, four years, seven months, and 11 days later we're going to have a bridge," Bower said.

The work on Lonesome Road is the end of a long history of bridge problems for Bloomin' Idiots and the other businesses. A bridge on Main Street in Moosic reopened earlier this year after being closed for four years.

Both projects left Lonesome Road especially lonely.

Marie Brown struggled to keep her restaurant, Marie's Breakfast and Lunch, running. At times, she considering moving her business.

"I'm just trying to stay afloat," she said.

A contractor for PennDOT was able to keep work on the Lonesome Road bridge on schedule, they hope to open the bridge sometime on Thursday.

It will open just in time for Bloomin' Idiots to start selling Christmas trees.

"A lot of soul-searching over the last four years. There's no doubt about that. But we love what we do so we keep trying. And we keep going. We've made it," Bower added.

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