DAMASCUS, PA – Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) will hold a virtual meeting to discuss the future of the demolished Skinners Falls Bridge on September 25 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Staff from PennDOT and their design consultant will present an updated Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) report and hold a question-and-answer session with the public.

The Skinners Falls Bridge, which crosses the Delaware River connecting Milanville, PA and Cochecton, NY, was removed in April following an inspection that revealed critical structural failures, including debris falling into the river, according to PennDOT.  

In previous years, the bridge has undergone a series of traffic closures due to observed structural issues followed by emergency repairs and re-openings and was closed to traffic in 2019. 

The updated PEL concludes that if future funding becomes available, the No Build Alternative and a Full Replacement Alternative will be evaluated in a future study. 

As it stands now, the report says, there is no viable funding. It states that there is $3.3M in eligible bridge funding allocated in Wayne County and $34.1M in funding for all types of projects in the New York State Department of Transportation region, but that the funding is reserved for high-priority bridges.

“Currently PennDOT manages 317 state-owned bridges in Wayne County. Of these 317 bridges, approximately 20% are in poor condition. Bridges in poor condition, currently open to traffic receive priority for funding available to the county, for preservation, rehabilitation and replacement,” the report states. 

“Skinners Falls Bridge is not carrying traffic currently and had not been since 2019, and therefore, is not a priority over those carrying traffic.”

The report further mentions that federal grant funding would be competitive and require a cost-benefit analyses. 

“The lack of available funding will affect the planning and programming to advance further studies associated with the remaining alternatives identified within this PEL study,” it says.

A 30-day comment period on the updated PEL is open and will conclude on October 9. Comments can be submitted via email to skinnersfallsbridge@aecom.com, or mailed to Amy Lolli, PennDOT Assistant Liaison Engineer, Department of Transportation, District Office 4−0, 55 Keystone Industrial Park, Dunmore, PA 18512.

A link to the Zoom meeting and the full report can be found at www.pa.gov/agencies/penndot/projects-near-you/district-4-projects/skinners-falls-bridge-project. 

You can call the project hotline at 610-234-5148 or email skinnersfallsbridge@aecom.com.