Chamber wants bridge issue solved

Fifty percent revenue loss reported by some businesses in survey as detour and traffic diversions continue MATAMORAS — With the summer season underway and traffic reduced at many of their stores, local merchants are concerned about the completion of work on the US Route 6 bridge and the continuing detours it has caused. The Pike County Chamber of Commerce announced Wednesday that it has moved to become the collective voice of local Pike County businesses near the bridge construction area. Danielle Jordan, CEO of the Pike Chamber, went door to door to personally talk to every local business from the Delaware Valley High School up to the bridge. A comprehensive report titled “Business Status Update Report with regard to the Matamoras / Port Jervis Bridge Construction” was created by Jordan to show the direct impact of the construction to these local area businesses. With the information obtained from 44 area business owners or managers, the survey showed that 40 of these businesses stated that since the construction began their businesses were being impacted, with some claiming up to a 50 percent decrease in revenue. The Chamber has sent a letter with the report attached to all of the PA local, state and federal Legislators requesting their immediate assistance in finding a solution which is both safe for emergency personnel and business concerns. The chamber letter stated that they are fully aware of the imperative construction that must take place to maintain the safety of the bridge and that the Chamber appreciates that complex decisions have been made by Penn DOT regarding hours of operations and detoured traffic routes. However, it affirmed that it is imperative to the economic strength of the area that the construction traffic not cause a diversion, or severely back up traffic, causing major waits. The chamber noted receipt of numerous calls of concern over the safety of the stopped traffic on Interstate Highway 84, which is a popular tractor trailer route. “Reducing the ability to navigate in this area has discouraged customers and tourists from visiting our region and our local businesses,” Jordan concluded. “This issue has made the struggling economic situation in this area of Pike County even more desperate.” Many have called for traffic lights to allow two-way traffic, but PennDOT says lights would cause traffic backups on both sides, while “with a detour, traffic technically never stops.” Spokesperson Karen Dussinger reported last Friday that, PennDOT is working toward making the traffic switch by the July 4 holiday and, more specifically, by the July 10 Port Jervis firemens’ parade. This would reopen a two-lane section of the bridge (with one lane remaining closed for the next phase of work) and provide two-way traffic. However, there is much work to be done and equipment and weather problems have arisen. Still, she said, repairs are on schedule. She felt the agency would have a “better idea” on the deck replacement, which would allow two-way traffic, by June 11.