One-way bridge won't allow outgoing PA traffic

MILFORD — Planned detours for the 2010 rehabilitation of the Matamoras-Port Jervis, N.Y. bridge are raising complaints, as the Milford Township Supervisors noted Monday. Cummins Hill Road resident, Muriel Gargano copied the township on her letter to the Pike County Commissioners, complaining about the detours - which would route Pa.-bound traffic across one maintained lane of the bridge, while N.Y. bound traffic would be diverted several miles along Interstate Highway 84. Gargano questioned the traffic congestion at the Port Jervis exit, with its confluence of US Route 6 and N.J. Route 23 traffic. Gargano wrote, “Why do the Pike County residents have to tolerate this? Wouldn’t it be to everyone’s advantage if PennDOT would erect a temporary red light” to allow two-way traffic, as was the case during the recent work on the Milford toll bridge. Supervisor Gary Williams said he planned to discuss the matter at the Nov. 19 meeting of the county’s Road Task Force. PennDOT spokesperson Karen Dussinger said the detour was configured this way by a joint decision of “police, fire, emergency responders.”