My view

It’s all about negligence

By ROSE BIONDI
Posted 1/15/25

I am writing this letter to voice my strong opposition of the destruction of the Skinners Fall Bridge.

After listening and watching PennDOT for five-plus years spend millions of dollars studying …

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My view

It’s all about negligence

Posted

I am writing this letter to voice my strong opposition of the destruction of the Skinners Fall Bridge.

After listening and watching PennDOT for five-plus years spend millions of dollars studying and evaluating the condition and suggested demise of this bridge, I find it alarming that it is now (after years of studying alternatives for restoration) decided in the last few months to completely destroy it. It appears that neglect, misappropriation of available funds and alternative motives have led to this decision.

If it weren’t for a resident’s notification, the parties held responsible for this bridge wouldn’t even be aware or concerned about the deterioration. The parties held responsible for the maintenance of this bridge have been negligent for 25 years.

If it weren’t for local the resident, the parties held responsible for this bridge wouldn’t know of the 11 dislodged buoys put in river below bridge. Location of eight unknown. Anyone have a drone PennDOT can borrow?

As a resident of Milanville, I have noticed the same avoidance of maintenance on the condition of River Road. My guess is the same method is being followed. Let’s just wait for this road to collapse.

In addition leaning trees are not addressed until after they fall and block traffic or tear down wires.

And the intersection where River Road meets the Narrowsburg Bridge on the Pennsylvania side is not working. A driver needs to crawl into oncoming traffic in order to safely turn onto 652. What I am getting to here is, that based on what I’ve seen, I have no trust in the decision making and execution entrusted in PennDOT. Someone is not completely dotting their i’s.

Who is in charge here? What is the process?

As expected, PennDOT has once again ignored any proactive maintenance and has now decided to destroy rather than try to save the bridge.

As noted in a recent letter from Damascus Citizens for Sustainability,

“PennDOT has not provided sufficient information to evaluate or substantiate its claim that the only alternative here is bridge destruction, which is an adverse effect on historic resources under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (“Section 106”). PennDOT fails to specify what structural aspects of the Bridge have deteriorated so badly in the past year (as opposed to PennDOT’s backlog of Bridge maintenance) that it can only pursue emergency demolition. The information presently available to DCS shows that the Bridge can still be rehabilitated, and could have been rehabilitated at any point in the last two or more decades.”

As recently as October 2024, AECOM report does not justify demolition of the bridge. Nor does it substantiate the fear of catastrophic collapse.

Also, what I don’t understand is why the Landers business takes priority over the saving of the bridge. Whether you use the property on the New York side or not, traffic on the river will have to be stopped. Either approach will force Landers to cease any boat dispatching in that area.  Do the right thing and address the stabilization of bases, carefully dismantle and label each piece and focus on restoring this bridge.

For years, a majority of the residents have been asking for a restoration. Either restoring to single lane traffic or turning it into a walk/bike bridge. Reasoning for this is same as it has always been: historic significance, existing roads don’t accommodate a bigger structure, adjoining businesses have been affected by the loss of access.

Rose Biondi is a resident of Milanville, PA.

skinners falls bridge, destruction, penndot, milanville, river road

Comments

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  • jclewell55

    I just have one question. I thought this was a shared bridge, New York and Pennsylvania. All I ever read is that PennDOT did this and PennDOT did that. What about NYDOT? This is a joint bridge but yet I never hear any blame put on NYS, it alway PA. Just wondering why….

    Sunday, January 19 Report this

  • frank

    As a Lackawaxen Twp homeowner and frequent user of the River, both camping with friends and paddling, a totally agree. Save the bridge. It’s part of our shared heritage.

    Sunday, January 19 Report this