After a year and a half of detours and delays, a highly traveled bridge is back open in Scranton.

SCRANTON, Pa. — “It’s a beautiful day to open a bridge,” said Jonathan Eboli, PennDOT Engineering District 4 Executive. And drivers in West Scranton agree. After 18 months of detours, delays, and frustrations, the Elm Street Bridge is back on track.

“It’s been a royal pain; it took a long time for a small bridge,” said Paul Rosato, Scranton.



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For many residents in Scranton, it’s a shortcut that’s been sorely missed.

“It took me at least a half hour, to 45 minutes out of my way every day.” School van driver, Paula Manley, says losing this route turned already busy traffic into a gridlock. “All the schools are getting out at the same time, so it’s just chaos, chaos. Normally I would come over this way, down Elm Street and right through, but I couldn’t this year.”

The $9.5 million PennDOT project brought more than a new bridge; it has two travel lanes, six-foot shoulders, and sidewalks. As the ribbon was cut, it connected these two communities once again.

“Bridges like this don’t just cross rivers; the Elm Street Bridge will make it easier for people to access jobs, schools, recreation, health care, and essential services,” said Eboli.

But before the rest of Scranton could roll across, Paul Rosado and his great-grandson, Vinny, were determined to be the very first as their tires were the first to touch the fresh pavement. “It’s better than being last,” said Vinny.

Their only prize? Some bragging rights. “I thought maybe we’d get a $100 gift certificate for being first,” Rosado said with a laugh.

As the Elm Street Bridge is back open, the work is still far from finished.

It’s one of four bridges across Scranton that have replacement projects in the works. 

“Now Elm Street’s open, now we got to go to Broadway. There’s always going to be another bridge to do. It’s fundamental to our economic development and our community development that we keep these bridges safe, and we keep these bridges open,” said Mayor Cognetti.