Residents air out concerns about bridge restrictions in Luzerne County

PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — New weight restrictions on a bridge in Luzerne County could prevent first responders from getting across and saving lives in a reasonable time, and that’s concerning Plymouth Township residents.

28/22 News Reporter Gianna Galli was at a meeting Thursday where those worries were aired out.

Safety concerns have prompted Luzerne County to drop the weight limit on the Nanticoke/West Nanticoke bridge from 15 to five tons, and that means some emergency vehicles have to take an alternate route, nearly doubling their response time.

A new weight limit on the Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge is stopping fire trucks and certain EMS vehicles from crossing.

Some of the more than dozen residents who attended Thursday’s meeting say they’re worried about the increase in response time.

“If I have a heart attack in three minutes, my chances are 50/50 of surviving. Something has to be done,” said a concerned resident of Nanticoke.

Nanticoke Fire Department says it will still respond to calls in West Nanticoke, but will need to rely on the South Cross Valley Bridge to get there, increasing response time from three minutes and 30 seconds to three minutes and 42 seconds, nearly twice as long.

“The reality is delays will slow down those responses but I believe Nanticoke City has done everything it could,” stated Barry Lore of West Nanticoke.

“We’re going to do our very best. Our fire protection is not going to change for the residents of the township,” emphasized Chief Mark Boncal of the Nanticoke Fire Department.

Fire and EMS officials are hoping for exceptions in critical call situations to be granted by Luzerne County.

“Anything that would compromise life safety, just for our engine truck to go over. The ladder truck would still have to go over the South Cross Valley,” said Boncal.

Lore says he is satisfied with what officials in the town are doing at this point, but believes the bigger picture has to be considered.

“We just need to keep moving forward and look to the future knowing this is not a short-term situation, it’s long-term.”

County council members were at the meeting and said they would look, firstly, to make sure everyone involved is safe and secure when crossing the bridge.

They will take some time to review options and exceptions to the weight limits.

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