Riverkeeper pans new bridge

Published May 9, 2012 at 7:59 pm (Updated May 9, 2012)

BRISTOL � Calling it an "unnecessary project will put fish, boaters and the local economy at risk and is a waste of taxpayer money, The Delaware Riverkeeper Network has called on PennDOT to abandon the Pond Eddy Bridge replacement project in the Upper Scenic Delaware River.

The group takes exception to announced plans to build two causeways for construction equipment access, which the Riverkeeper charges will block river ice, shad migrations and require recreational boaters to portage around the project risking injury.

In their April 26 statement, they also call on federal officials to conduct a federal environmental charging PennDOT is avoiding review and keeping the public in the dark about the environmental impact.

The project is also said to be "financially irresponsible. Penn DOT is seeking to replace the current span with a bridge that has a 40-ton weight limit to service a community with less than 12 residents. Estimates on the cost of this bridge replacement vary but are likely to exceed $12 million.