Luzerne County getting a handle on leftover federal American Rescue Plan Act funds

Luzerne County officials are working to pinpoint how much federal American Rescue Plan Act funding may be left to address road and bridge repairs and other capital needs.

The subject came up during county Operational Services Division Head Jennifer Pecora’s 2025 budget presentation last week.

Pecora told council the proposed budget for road and bridge department repairs is decreasing from $1.2 million to $300,000 in 2025 because American Rescue funding had been provided for 2024.

Council Chairman John Lombardo said he is “very concerned” about this reduction because road repairs remain a priority.

Pecora said her division has identified several projects that should be completed if the county has any remaining American Rescue funding.

The county has approximately $3.5 million in American Rescue interest, but $3 million of that has been factored into the proposed 2025 budget as a one-time revenue stream to help avoid a 2025 real estate tax hike.

In addition to that $500,000 in interest, funds will be available from original American Rescue project earmarks that will be reduced or withdrawn because the recipients scaled back plans or won’t be able to complete them within deadline.

For example, at least $900,000 is expected because an award for recreational enhancements in the area of Nesbitt and Kirby parks was reduced from $2 million to $1.1 million.

County council also plans to vote at its next meeting Nov. 26 on whether it will cancel a $2 million federal American Rescue allocation for a parkade at the former Hotel Sterling site in Wilkes-Barre based on a forthcoming status report from Wilkes-Barre’s Industrial Development Authority.

Authority representative Larry Newman had said an entity that may provide $1 million in funding toward the $4.5 million project would be meeting in mid-November, and he asked council to wait until the Nov. 26 meeting so he can provide a more definitive answer on whether the project can be completed within the deadline.

County grants writer Michele Sparich told council the administration is working with the county’s American Rescue consultant to assess how much will be available from original awards.

Council would have to formally vote to reduce those allocations and approve new ones.

There’s an urgency because council will be significantly limited in how it can reprogram the original funds after Dec. 31, Sparich said.

Sparich urged all American Rescue recipients with unfinished projects to immediately contact the county if they will have leftover funding or are encountering issues completing their projects before their approved deadline.

If more funding becomes available, Pecora said her division is prepared to propose road and bridge projects that can be bid by January so construction can begin in early spring 2025.

She noted the county purchased a truck this year to clean out drains, which will reduce water pooling that damages roads.

“In time it will be saving us money because it will be a preventative maintenance measure,” Pecora said.

Lombardo said he’s observed a “major decrease” in the number of people complaining about the condition of county-owned roads, which he attributes to the county’s focus on addressing the most deteriorated stretches.

Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge

Referencing her proposed budget, Pecora said it anticipates $2.5 million will be spent in 2025 advancing plans for the deteriorated span over the Susquehanna River, which was constructed in 1914 and last rehabilitated in 1987.

The county must start from scratch in determining a solution for the bridge connecting Nanticoke and the West Nanticoke section of Plymouth Township because $10 million in federal funding has been allocated to the project through the state, officials said.

The regimented process involving the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is starting with a search for an engineer that must come up with three options.

Three options already were presented for the bridge by Alfred Benesch and Associates, which had been hired by the county before federal funding was involved to determine the “best and most economical option.” Benesch’s work thus far cannot be applied to the final project because the selection process for the engineer must go through the PennDOT procurement system due to the county’s receipt of the $10 million, officials had said.

Benesch originally recommended largely replacing the existing bridge but later advocated construction of a new bridge to the west. A third full rehabilitation option was presented but not recommended.

The county’s other funding source for the bridge is a $55 million casino gambling fund established for county infrastructure.

County council will still have final say on which option is selected, and there will be public presentations and input before a decision is reached, officials have said.

The weight limit of the bridge was reduced to 5 tons in May, which allows passenger vehicles but not fire trucks and emergency rescue vehicles.

Six prospective engineers submitted statements of interest to handle the bridge project, said county Operational Services Project Management Director Nick Vough.

As part of the engineering selection process involving the county and state, a county committee recently ranked submissions using weighted criteria assessing experience, performance and other factors, Vough said. Serving on this committee are county Manager Romilda Crocamo, council Vice Chairman Brian Thornton, Pecora and Vough.

Crocamo said the recommended engineering group will appear before county council.

Pecora said the $2.5 million included in the proposed budget for the bridge in 2025 will come from the casino-gambling funded account, which is administered by the county Redevelopment Authority as specified in state law establishing the fund.

The county is requesting funds from the authority as it receives invoices, Pecora said.

Main Road

Pecora’s budget also includes $2.5 million in funding awarded to complete road reconstruction, paving and drainage enhancements on Main Road in Hunlock and Ross townships.

Main Road has been ranked high on the county’s priority repair list based on assessments using road data and special software to come up with condition ratings, county officials have said.

The county had submitted an application seeking federal funding. Through the efforts of U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas, $2.5 million was included in 2024 appropriations legislation as a federal Community Funding Project to fund the work, officials had announced earlier this year.

Bidding is on hold pending verification that all grant procedure requirements were met, the latest county division report said.

Councilman Harry Haas verified the project will include both milling and resurfacing.

Vough said the project will address a 3.7-mile stretch of Main Road from the intersection of Broadway and Grassy Pond roads to Route 118.