CANAAN TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Construction work is underway to replace a bridge in Wayne County that connects a small group of homes to the mainland.
That bridge off Route 6 near Waymart underwent emergency repairs two years ago due to its deteriorating conditions.
The bridge connecting a small community to the mainland may be gone, but that's actually a sign of progress.
Construction work began earlier this month on a much-needed bridge replacement project off Route 6 near Waymart.
Two years ago this month, crews were out doing emergency work on the bridge after it failed state inspection due to its deteriorating condition.
That forced a weight restriction to just three tons, which bans emergency vehicles and delivery trucks.
Canaan Township officials ordered this repair work to bring the limit up to 22 tons.
“We had some modifications done to that to tidy over until we could get this project underway. This will be at 40 ton, the norm,” said Canaan Township Supervisor Paul Curtis of the new bridge.
The bridge is owned by the township so it is paying for the work.
The chair of the township supervisors says the bulk of that is covered, thanks to the gambling industry.
“It was a bid job and the successful bidder was around $146,000 and we got a grant for $120,000 through gambling money,” said Lewis Henshaw, the chair for the township supervisors.
Resident Megan Janes glad to see the replacement work finally getting started.
“I wasn't sure what was really sure what was going on with it, just the neighbors were telling us that they were going to take it out and it would take a month,” said Janes.
While the bridge is out, the township installed a temporary access road so that people living there can get access to Route 6.
“We put a temporary road in, just up here about a 100 yards, goes through a railroad bed, old railroad bed and comes out about a half mile,” said Curtis.
The Canaan Township supervisors did say they expect the bridge replacement to be done by the end of the month.