SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — It’s been nearly five months since congress passed the bipartisan infrastructure bill. We are starting to see that money trickle into our region to help with roads and bridges.
Sunday was the first day of Spring. Monday is the first day of construction season and the amount of money Pennsylvania and this region will receive from the infrastructure bill for the work was also announced on Monday.
For generations, roadways and bridges in our area have taken a beating.
“Infrastructure has been chronically underfunded for many years. Pennsylvania is home to a large network of state and locally owned bridges,” said Mike Keiser, Acting Deputy Secretary for Highway Administration, PennDOT.
PennDOT Acting Deputy Secretary for Highway Administration, Mike Keiser made a stop in Lackawanna County Monday, announcing the state will receive $4 BIL from the infrastructure bill over the next five years.
“These kinds of dollars have been promised for really a generation or more and they were finally made possible by this bill,” said Senator Bob Casey, (d) Pennsylvania.
“The planning regions in this area will get $266 MIL additional dollars over the next five years for highway and bridge improvements,” said Richard Roman, District Executive, PennDOT District 4.
That money will be spent among more than two dozen projects in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Susquehanna, Wyoming, Wayne, and Pike counties. One of the largest projects is the ‘Governor Robert P. Casey Highway’ a dedication to Senator Casey’s father.
“We have a $30 MIL project to rehab the concrete, replace a lot of the joints, fix the bridges, along a 15 mile stretch of the Casey Highway,” said Roman.
That’s expected to start in just a couple of weeks. PennDOT is sending a reminder to motorists that we are officially in the construction season. Follow posted work zone speed limits and do not drive distracted as the workers have families to go home to.
“Those are men and women who are dedicating themselves to improve our highway system. We don’t get that economic development without those people,” said Roman.
Just this year, there will be $500 MIL worth of work happening out on the roadway in the six counties.
To see a complete list of projects in your area click here.
