Luzerne County Commissioners, Flood Protection Authority, Wyoming Valley Levee Raising Team Break Ground for Wilkes-Barre’s Historic River Common Project
(Wilkes-Barre) –Luzerne County Commissioners Gregory A. Skrepenak, Todd A. Vonderheid, and Stephen A. Urban, joined by members of the Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority, Luzerne County’s State and Federal Legislative Delegations, the Director of Governor Rendell’s Community Action Team and the Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Baltimore District all participated today in a ground breaking ceremony for Wilkes-Barre’s Historic River Common Project. The $22.6 million dollar project will focus on the Common from West River Street to the Luzerne County Courthouse, and will take an estimated 2 ½ years to complete.
“This project is important to Luzerne County on a number of levels,” said Commission Chairman Gregory A. Skrepenak. “It’s one of the final steps toward completion of the Wyoming Valley Levee Raising Project, preserves what was once a center of life and recreation for residents of Wilkes-Barre and the surrounding areas, and improves upon that past for an exciting future. It also creates a destination area for those who work in or visit downtown Wilkes-Barre, and will enhance and serve as the perfect backdrop for its current renaissance.”
Project elements, developed by Sasaki Associates, will include the construction of two sixty-foot wide portals: one at Northampton Street, and the Millennium Circle portal opposite the Irem Temple parking lot, which will provide direct access to the Susquehanna River. A 700-seat amphitheater will be constructed on the riverbank below the Market Street Bridge. The River Landing, a 1.2 acre site that will host festivals and other events at the water’s edge and a fishing pier will be constructed north of the Market Street Bridge.
The existing sheet pile walls will be encased in concrete complete with aesthetic details, walking and cycling paths will be created on the levee crest, and all amenities will be ADA accessible. The paths will be illuminated by period style fixtures, and feature benches, trash receptacles and kiosks containing panels that commemorate the region’s history.
Funding for the $22.6 million dollar River Common project has been the result of hard work and collaboration at all levels of government. Luzerne County will provide $8.15 million in funding. Governor Ed Rendell, with support from Luzerne County’s Legislative Delegation, has committed $7.45 million to the project through grants from the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Community and Economic Development and the Department of Conservation and National Resources. Through the strong advocacy of Congressman Paul Kanjorski, with long-standing support from Senator Arlen Specter and Senator Rick Santorum, the federal government has allocated $7 million to the River Common project.
"Today is a day for the Wyoming Valley to celebrate. The beautification of the riverfront is an important step in the region's revitalization. Not only do we enjoy protection from the threat of flooding, our community now has the chance to reconnect with the river and the recreational opportunities it offers. The Luzerne County Commissioners are to be commended for their hard work and dedication to this project, and I am pleased that we were able to work together to maximize the federal investment in this initiative," said Congressman Paul E. Kanjorski.
Today’s groundbreaking initiates the first of four River Common project phases. In Fall 2007, the relocation of the Courthouse driveway and reconstruction of the Courthouse Gardens will begin. PennDot is currently in the process of selecting a consultant to devise a plan for calming traffic flow along River Street to make access to the River Common more pedestrian-friendly. Grant applications have also been submitted by Luzerne County for paving of an access road, parking area and boat launch on the West Bank of the Susquehanna River, opposite the Wilkes-Barre River Common.
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