Our Opinion: Bridge upkeep in NEPA too often falls through the cracks

web1_Confirmation.jpg

Lehman-Idetown United Methodist Church 2015 Confirmation class

Deteriorating bridges dot Pennsylvania&#8217;s landscape, including here in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties, and movements are afoot to fix or replace many of the worst ones.On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey stood near the 101-year-old Water Street Bridge in Pittston, making a pitch for more bridges that are owned by counties and local municipalities to become eligible for federal highway dollars. On the surface, the bipartisan bill sounds like a sorely needed solution to a maintenance backlog.But by diverting money from the National Highway System to local bridge repair, what essential projects might be short-changed?And, moreover, why does the Keystone State &#8211; with so many bridges built more than a half century ago, and more bridges deemed &#8220;structurally deficient&#8221; than any other state &#8211; have such a poor track record at various levels of government in keeping its transportation network in tip-top shape?Our road network should remain a priority even during &#8220;tough times.&#8221; Perhaps, especially during tough times.Six years ago, amid the nation&#8217;s economic downturn, the Times Leader editorialized against &#8220;Cash for Clunkers&#8221; and other portions of President Barack Obama&#8217;s multibillion-dollar stimulus program that frittered away an opportunity to meaningfully impact the nation&#8217;s economy and infrastructure.&#8220;Put those massive sums of money into projects &#8211; including Pennsylvania highway and building projects &#8211; that support jobs,&#8221; stated our editorial on Jan. 10, 2009.&#8220;Goodness knows there are plenty of public works projects waiting for attention right here in Northeastern Pennsylvania,&#8221; it continued. &#8220;Build or remodel aging public schools. Replace worn-out bridges. Improve the interstate highway system. Patch potholes.&#8220;Don&#8217;t appease the masses with a measly handout. Put Americans to work.&#8221;State and county officials also have deferred necessary transportation-related upkeep over the years and sometimes missed chances for bold, new projects. As a result, local segments of Interstate 81 and other highways are regularly jammed, there&#8217;s not a passenger train in sight and Luzerne County&#8217;s bridges are long overdue for work.On an encouraging note, however, then-Gov. Tom Corbett in 2012 paved the way for what&#8217;s known as <a href="http://parapidbridges.com/" target="_blank">The Rapid Bridge Replacement Project</a>. A public-private partnership, now supported by Gov. Tom Wolf, it reportedly aims to replace more than 550 bridges over three years and already this year has drawn the interest of bond buyers who see its potential.In Pennsylvania&#8217;s temperate climate, concrete always crumbles and metal corrodes. Until those things change, or motorists find an alternate means of moving from place to place, our elected officials at all levels of government can&#8217;t ignore the importance of routinely updating roads and bridges.