Skinners Falls/Milanville Bridge updates

tomrue 18 April 2024

A few of the many published accounts concerning the Skinners Falls Bridge

River community honors Skinners Falls Bridge not with a farewell, but a rallying cry, WVIA Radio, by Isabela Weiss, January 14, 2025

Tribute to and Memories of Ed Wesely at A Celebration of the Milanville Bridge, by Tom Rue, January 12, 2025

A Celebration of the Skinners Falls Bridge, produced by Cynthia Nash and hosted by Kathy Geary, FACEBOOK LIVE feed, January 12, 2025

PennDOT Defends Decision to Demolish Skinners Falls Bridge, by Tim Bruno, WJFF Radio, January 9, 2025

Community Celebration and Concern for Endangered Skinners Falls Bridge, by Tim Bruno, WJFF Radio, January 8, 2025

Public vexed by PennDOT's plan to demolish Skinners Falls Bridge after 6 years of closure, by Peter Becker, USA Today, December 24, 2024

Letter to the Editor: Bridge to Nowhere - PennDOT’s Neglect and Its Impact on Our Communities, by Tom Rue, December 19, 2024

Skinners Falls Bridge is “actively failing” and needs to be demolished, potentially with explosives, officials say, by Chris Mele, Delaware Currents, December 19, 2024

Skinners Falls Bridge Set for Demolition amid Safety Concerns, Wayne-Pike News, December 19, 2024

Skinners Falls Surprise: PennDOT Announces Demolition of Historic Bridge, by Tim Bruno, WJFF Radio, December 18, 2024

PennDOT plans to destroy Skinners Falls Bridge with explosive charges, by Liam Mayo, The River Reporter, December 17, 2024

PennDOT: Demolition is only option for rapidly failing Skinners Falls Bridge, by Peter Becker, USA Today, December 17, 2024

Skinners, stalled, by Liam Mayo, The River Reporter, December 11, 2024

Skinners Falls Bridge will be removed by crane, disassembled, by Peter Becker, Tri-County Independent, November 28, 2024

Dismantling leaves restoration on the table for Skinners Falls Bridge, by Liam Mayo, The River Reporter, November 27, 2024

Skinners Falls Bridge is falling apart. Now it will be taken apart, by Chris Mele, Delaware Currents, November 21, 2024

Skinners Falls Bridge to be Dismantled; Public Meeting Scheduled, by Tim Bruno, WJFF Radio, November 12, 2024

Dismantled, not destroyed: Skinners Falls Bridge at risk of 'temporary' teardown, by Liam Mayo, The River Reporter, November 8, 2024

Skinners Falls Bridge to be dismantled, by Vincent Kuzrock, Sullivan County Democrat, November 12, 2024

Inspection Report, redacted, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), October 11, 2024

Dismantled, not destroyed: Skinners Falls Bridge at risk of 'temporary' teardown, by Liam Mayo, The River Reporter, October 8, 2024

Discussing Skinners Falls Bridge restoration: Work on historic bridge to be topic at UDUUF open mic, The River Reporter, July 2, 2024

PennDOT Explains Unconventional Skinners Falls Bridge Meeting, Next Steps, by Tim Bruno, WJFF Radio, May 8, 2024

Concerned Citizens Create Art to Preserve Skinners Falls Bridge, by Tim Bruno, WJFF Radio, May 21, 2024

Preserve history, say Skinners bridge advocates, by Pamela Chergotis, The River Reporter, April 29, 2024

Protesting residents to PennDOT: “Whose bridge? Our bridge!”, by Isabela Weiss, WVIA News, Report for America, April 26, 2024

Residents get the skinny on the Skinners Falls Bridge, by Chris Mele, Delaware Current, April 26, 2024

Report: What is to become of the historic Skinners Falls Bridge?, by Cloey Callahan, Delaware Currents, July 31, 2023

Can Skinners be saved? Report on bridge says yes, assessment process continues, by Liam Mayo, The River Reporter, June 14, 2023

Historic Bridge Rehabilitation Analysis Phase 1 SR 1002 (Skinners Falls Road) over Delaware River, PennDOT/AECOM, May 2023

Is it the end for an ‘utterly spectacular’ Pa. bridge? The Skinners Falls Bridge, which spans the Delaware River, has been closed since 2019 in Wayne County, Pa., Philadelphia Inquirer, August 2, 2022

Studying Skinners Falls, by Liam Mayo, The River Reporter, July 5, 2022

The public is talking, but who's listening?, by Liam Mayo, The River Reporter, January 6, 2022

The Fight to Save a Small-Town Bridge: Reflections on Infrastructure, Placemaking, and Community Engagement, Carolina Planning Journal, Historic Preservation Archives, University of North Carolina by Ruby Brinkerhoff, July 9, 2021

Not in my front yard - Property owner weighs in on bridge project, by Owen Walsh, The River Reporter, May 5, 2021

Exploring and restoring a river crossing, editorial by Laurie Stuart, The River Reporter, April 14, 2021

Interview with conservationist Ed Wesley, by Rosie Starr, WJFF Farm & Country, Damascus Citizens for Sustainability, April 8, 2021

Future of Skinners Falls Bridge up in the air, by Isabel Braverman, Sullivan County Democrat, April 8, 2021

NY-PA Joint Interstate Bridge Commission Will Study Fate of Skinners Falls-Milanville Bridge, by Laurie Ramie, Upper Delaware Council, October 16, 2020

A bridge for Milanville: The story of the Skinners Falls bridge, by Ed Wesely, The River Reporter, originally published in 2017

Bridge closed for inspection, Scranton Tribune, 11/9/1999

Repairs planned for walks on bridge, Scranton Times, by Bob Tomaine, May 28, 1994 (Excerpt: "PennDOT... will continue to monitor a crack in an abutment on the Skinners Falls Bridge...")

PennDOT trying to quiet bridge, Scranton Times-Tribune, by Bob Tomaine, May 27, 1994

PennDOT working on bridge problem, Scranton Tribune, by Bob Tomaine, May 27, 1994

Marker to be remounted on bridge, The River Reporter, by Tom Rue, June 4, 1992

Repairs to bridge over Delaware cost $1.2 million, by Bob Tomaine, Scranton Times, 5/9/1991

Skinners Falls bridge closed - Details of new repair plan, The River Reporter, by Tom Rue May 7, 1987

Milanville Bridge closed again, The River Reporter, by Tom Rue, April 30, 1987

Bridge open!, The River Reporter, November 6, 1986

Milanville Bridge to reopen, The River Reporter, by Tom Rue, October 30, 1986

Bridge pins removed - Repairs to historic bridge, The River Reporter, by Tom Rue, September 4, 1986

Milanville Bridge progresses, The River Reporter, by Tom Rue, August 28, 1986

Keep off bridge - "no trespassing" on Milanville Bridge, The River Reporter, by Tom Rue, August 7, 1986

Bridge out, The River Reporter, The River Reporter, by Tom Rue, July 24, 1986

Hangin' out, The River Reporter, by Tom Rue, July 10, 1986

Problems plague workers at Milanville Bridge, The River Reporter, by Tom Rue, June 19, 1986

Skinners Falls bridge closing for repairs, The River Reporter, by Tom Rue, May 29, 1986

Bridge repairs in June, The River Reporter, by Tom Rue, May 15, 1986

Open bridge in summer - COUP asks for reschedule, The River Reporter, February 6, 1986

Don't sever the artery (Editorial), The River Reporter, by Tom Rue, February 6, 1986

Skinners Falls bridge to close for repair, The River Reporter, by Ed Wesely, January 30, 1986

PennDOT will monitor crack in bridge, Scranton Tribune, by Bob Tomaine, May 9, 1991

Crack in Skinners Falls Milanville Bridge monitored, Scranton Tribune, by Bob Tomaine, May 9, 1991

State's share of bridge funding received, Scranton Times, by Bob Tomaine, May 9, 1991

Group claims five bridges have deficiencies, Scranton Times, by Jerry Makarevich, February 12, 1981

Milton L. Skinner, 89, River Raftsman, Dies, Middletown News Herald, December 21, 1936

Historical Society makes pilgrimage to Wayne County, Scranton Tribune, July 26, 1932

Many court cases, Scranton Tribune, July 26, 1923 [Excerpt: "In the matter of dissolution of the Milanville Bridge Company, hearing fixed for September 10."]

Milanville Bridge goes on free list, Carbondale News, April 28, 1923

Seek to Buy All Toll Bridges, Pike-County-Dispatch, March 9, 1911

A Letter from Candidate Fuerth upon the "Free Bridge" Question, Wayne County Herald, October 8, 1906

Milanville Bridge gone, Pike County Dispatch, March 31, 1904

Milanville [notes], Wayne County Herald, April 16, 1903 [Excerpt: "All this proves that the handsome bridge across the Delaware, erected last year, must in the near future pay fair dividends. In the building of our bridge we met with better opposition from a neighboring town but thank to the energetic measures taken by those in this vicinity a charter was secured and a fine bridge erected in 1902. Much credit is due to the efficient management of the president of the Milanville Bridge Co., M.L. Skinner."

Abutment Letting, Wayne County Herald, August 28, 1902 [Excerpt: "The building of the abutments for the Milanville bridge, Damascus township, near grist mill, will be let to the lowest and best bidder at above plan on Monday August 25, 1902..."]

Governor Stone affixes his signature to a Number of Measures, The Gazette, May 9, 1901 [Excerpt: "Incorporating the Milanville Bridge Company, Wayne County.]

Websites

Current DCS Legal Actions and Commentary to Save the Skinners Falls Bridge, Damascus Citizens for Sustainability

Skinners Falls Bridge / Milanville Bridge, Historic Bridges website

Milanville-Skinners Falls Bridge, Wayne County Historical Society

Save The Skinners Falls Bridge, Facebook page

Skinners Falls Bridge Project, PennDOT website

Skinners Falls–Milanville Bridge, Wikipedia

Skinners Falls Bridge Updates, tomrue dot net

Skinners Falls/Milanville Bridge

This vital interstate bridge, linking New York and Pennsylvania since 1902 is historic in part due to its association with that important spot on the river and the early rafting industry that shaped the region's economy. Unfortunately, this bridge has been closed to all users, including bicycles and pedestrians, since 2019 while PennDOT slow-boats this significant structure's restoration.

“The pin-connected Baltimore through truss design is historically and technologically significant, earning a November 14, 1988 designation to the National Register of Historic Places as one of only three such truss types among 135 highway bridges owned by PennDOT that had not been demolished as of 2019” (UDC, 3/23/2021).

Public comments may be addressed to PennDOT at skinnersfallsbridge@aecom.com.