Citing progress in talks, Dallas teachers delay strike to Oct. 25

web1_shucosky-Michael.jpg

Luzerne County plans to end hand-writing of criminal court disposition sheets

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Rather than going it alone, the city is working with the county to locate funding for a new bridge on Division Street over Solomon Creek.</p><p>Mayor Tony George said he&#8217;s met with Luzerne County Manager C. David Pedri about cooperating on the bridge.</p><p>&#8220;You get more done by working together,&#8221; George said Thursday.</p><p>He was the lone voice on the city council last year proposing that the city seek federal or state money to match the $1 million the county had budgeted for replacing the bridge, which was demolished in 2014 after it partially collapsed. A determination by the city&#8217;s legal department that the county owned the bridge moved the ball from the city&#8217;s court.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s an evacuation route,&#8221; George said of the bridge. Without the span, vehicles must use the nearby Oxford Street Bridge in Hanover Township.</p><p>The project surfaced again recently in a discussion of capital projects by the county council, which has more projects than available funds. Without a match of $1 million from the city, the bridge could be among those eliminated by the county for more viable projects.</p><p>George said the city and county are exploring options including grants and putting on a unified front in order to move the project along with the Lackawanna/Luzerne Metropolitan Planning Organization. Both the county and city have votes on the MPO that, according to the county&#8217;s web site, &#8220;determines how all federal and state highway/bridge funds are allocated.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;Right now, we have to get that on the four-year plan,&#8221; George said.</p><p>The mayor has made the Solomon Creek Flood Protection project a priority for his administration. If the bridge could be done separately more money could be available for the flood protection project, he said.</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_TTL090515bridge1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tony George, left, and his opponent last Frank Sorick, agreed on replacing the Division Street bridge last year. George still wants to get the job done and is working with Luzerne County to find funding for the priority project., </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_TTL090515bridge1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tony George, left, and his opponent last Frank Sorick, agreed on replacing the Division Street bridge last year. George still wants to get the job done and is working with Luzerne County to find funding for the priority project., </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jerry Lynott</p><p>jlynott@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott</p></shirttailMeta></div>

County and city cooperating to find funding for Division Street bridge