A deteriorating bridge that carries traffic over Quakake Creek in Packer Township is causing headaches for busing and the upcoming winter snow plowing season.

On Thursday, Terry Davis, a Packer Township supervisor, approached the Carbon County Commissioners to talk about his concerns over bridge 4 along Grist Mill Road.

Last week, the commissioners approved a proposal with Carbon Engineering Inc. of Summit Hill to make the necessary repairs to the deck of bridge 4 at a cost of $7,900.

Once the work was completed, the county would then place barriers on both sides of the bridge and restrict vehicular traffic, changing the weight limit posting from 10 tons to 3 tons.

Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein said that the barriers were being placed on the bridge this week.

Davis asked if there was anything that could be done to not lower the weight limit to 3 tons.

“This is going to have a big impact on busing or snow plowing,” he said. “We won’t be able to take our trucks across.”

He suggested finding another way to weigh down the barriers instead of filling them with water, which would then allow for the weight restriction to remain 10 tons.

Nothstein said the county has to follow the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation regulations, which call for the barriers being filled with water. In total, approximately 1,000 gallons of water, which equates to around 4 tons, is required.

“Hopefully the project can go smoothly and quickly,” he said.

Davis asked if there is money allotted for this bridge project?

County Administrator Eloise Ahner said that the county has funds encumbered, but bridge 4 is not on the state’s 12-year plan for repairs, and the county has asked that it be pushed up the list.

The commissioners said that they picked four county bridges and hope that they can be put in the plan to expedite renovations.

Davis said he understood, but said if the area was hit with a big snowstorm, the township would not have the means to clean that bridge due to the weight limit.

Commissioner Chris Lukasevich agreed with Davis, adding that there are billions of dollars in the infrastructure law, but it’s not trickling down to counties and municipalities, who can use it most.

“It’s not doing us much good to make a difference on the issues of infrastructure that we have,” he said, adding that the Carbon County Council of Governments spoke with representatives of Congresswoman Susan Wild’s office about the issue and specifically bridge 4.

The commissioners said they heard that the money was supposed to be coming in 2024 or 2025, however, Rocky Ahner said that if the county only receives a few hundred thousand dollars, that won’t be able to maintain the 19 county-owned bridges that are deteriorating.

“That bridge up there that you’re talking about cannot wait 12 years,” Ahner said.

Bridge 4 is a 31-foot concrete encased rolled steel I-beam bridge constructed in 1913.

According to the 2022 state inspection of the bridge, there were several I-beams deficient and cannot carry the legal loads safely.