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Bridge Beams for Luzerne County Highway Project

HANOVER TOWNSHIP — Big beams for a new highway in our area mean a closed lane on a nearby expressway. Those beams are for a new bridge on what’s cal...
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HANOVER TOWNSHIP -- Big beams for a new highway in our area mean a closed lane on a nearby expressway.

Those beams are for a new bridge on what's called the South Valley Parkway near Nanticoke.

Traffic was stopped four times on a busy highway in Luzerne County Wednesday to put part of a new bridge in place.

Traffic came to a complete stop four times on Route 29 near Nanticoke. It's because crews are setting four concrete beams for a new bridge that run over the highway.

"There's only four beams, so there are only four times today there will be about a 30 minute stop. Obviously, if you have to get somewhere quickly consider an alternate route," said PennDOT official James May.

But many drivers didn't know when they got onto the highway, that they would have to stop for the construction.

"This is crazy, they just repaved this road about six months ago and reopened it and now they've closed it again."

Many of these drivers have been waiting in a standstill for about 20 minutes, not knowing what's ahead of them.

"I'm thinking, 'Wow, this has taken a big chunk out of my day!'"

The bridge will cross over Route 29, and is a part of the new South Valley Parkway project. The project takes Luzerne County Community College traffic off of Middle Road in Nanticoke.

As for the new bridge beams, they're 125 feet long and 70 tons each, so crews also had to close one lane of traffic in each direction to safely secure them.

James May of PennDOT also points out this kind of bridge work can't be done at night.

"Something like this, you always want to do in the day if you're able to, for the safety of the workers."

The South Valley Parkway project is also several months ahead of schedule. The project is expected to be finished in 2019.

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