DURYEA, Pa. — In 2011, the levee along the Lackawanna River in the borough of Duryea was breached, and flooding disrupted part of the neighborhood in Luzerne County.
"There are times when the Lackawanna (River) backs up because of the Susquehanna (River) and the water comes back up, and that area is prime area for significant flooding," said Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo.
Now, 13 years later, Luzerne County is working with engineers to update the levee system there.
The new system would help prevent flooding from happening again and help lower the cost of flood insurance for nearby homeowners.
The county council will discuss potential upgrades.
"Tonight's meeting is an update from the Flood Protection Authority regarding the levee project," said Crocamo.
Crocamo says this bridge that extends Stephenson Street in the borough will likely be a topic of discussion. It could hold back any progress improvements to the levee system would make.
"What the engineers are telling us from the Flood Protection Authority is that bridge, basically, the abutment underneath, will cause an obstruction to the levee project, which will reduce the effectiveness of the levee project," explained Crocamo.
Officials in Duryea tell Newswatch 16 that the land on the other side of the bridge has been purchased by the borough with the intention of turning it into a recreational area. While it can be accessed from Coxton Road, this bridge provides another access point necessary for emergency response.
"It's really wonderful, but it's not a bridge that is traversed by the general population," added Crocamo.
Officials with the borough and the county say nothing is set in stone, but these are all factors that play into infrastructure investments the county says are needed.
"We have to stop painting over the crack, and we have a lot of challenges, and we are facing those challenges, and we're going to fix them, and the decision that has to be made has to be made with the intention of keeping the people of Duryea safe," Crocamo added,