Inspection scheduled for potential Pittston-West Pittston bridge reopening

An inspection will begin June 27 to determine if the Firefighters’ Memorial Bridge linking West Pittston and Pittston can safely reopen to traffic in its current condition until a bridge replacement or reconstruction is planned and completed, according to a timeline released by the county Thursday.

It will take time: The examination of chords and pins, load testing and data analysis are scheduled to wrap up the end of October, with the final report completion slated for Nov. 14, the document said.

The inspection contractor, Williamsport-based Larson Design Group, also noted the load testing completion hinges on timely shipment of equipment, its communication said.

County Interim Operational Services Division Head Lawrence Plesh said Thursday he may receive some preliminary indications of the findings sooner.

Plesh advised against any expectations.

“This doesn’t mean it’s going to open. They could find things others did not find or load critical members and discover it’s worse than what we thought,” Plesh said. “We’re still rolling the dice here.”

Commonly known as the Water Street Bridge, the county-owned span over the Susquehanna River has been closed since August due to concerns over a bent eyebar, causing traffic on the nearby state-owned Spc. Dale J. Kridlo Bridge (Fort Jenkins) to increase from 12,000 vehicles to 20,000 per day.

The state agreed to assume responsibility for the design and construction of a solution for both bridges, which would likely be replacing the Water Street span and rehabilitating or replacing the Fort Jenkins one — both keeping their current footprints, officials said.

County council members approved the inspection to determine if the bridge can reopen at a reduced weight limit because completion of both spans will take seven years.

Councilman Brian Thornton has said he does not believe the community and local businesses can endure the traffic congestion and negative economic impact of having only one bridge for years and said the current situation poses “grave danger and safety concerns.”

If Larson Design Group concludes a reduced weight limit would be safe, it would have to submit its final report and a request to the state transportation department, which has authority to decide if the span can be reopened, Plesh said.

A PennDOT bridge reopening determination could take weeks or months, he said.

The weight limit on the Water Street Bridge was 20 tons before the bridge closed. Downgrading to a 3- or 4-ton limit would allow sports utility vehicles and those lighter to cross, Plesh said.

The county is paying for the $300,000 inspection with its federal American Rescue Plan funding.