Scranton officials, PennDOT plan precast 8x12-foot culvert to replace Market Street crossing after 2023 flood

Scranton city staff and PennDOT officials told neighbors at a public meeting that the damaged Market Street crossing over Leech Creek will be replaced with a precast concrete structure 8 feet high and 12 feet wide sized to pass a 100-year storm.

The project was prompted by flooding in September 2023 that blocked a mixed-type culvert beneath Market Street (State Route 6011) and caused flooding to properties upstream. Tom Riley, president of Riley Associates, said the replacement will be a precast concrete unit with concrete walls and stream-bank protection and will include new curbs, sidewalks and an extended drainage system along Yard Avenue.

City and PennDOT officials said the city will perform design work and acquire any required right-of-way, then convey the right-of-way and the completed design to PennDOT for construction. Laurie Estevez de Jesus, PennDOT District 4 liaison project manager, and Tom Opelka, PennDOT design services engineer, explained that because the new opening will exceed an 8-foot span it will be classified as a bridge on a state road and become PennDOT responsibility for construction and long-term ownership.

Officials described the existing underground structure as a patchwork of different culvert types — including a 48-inch downstream pipe, a roughly 4-by-5-foot stone arch, areas with stone and railroad rail supports and concrete sections — and said emergency work installed a temporary 5-foot pipe wrapped with grout and bank stabilization after the September 2023 washout. "The culvert is now gonna be 8 feet high and 12 feet wide and precast concrete," Riley said.

The city outlined how property impacts will be handled. Most new permanent right-of-way is on the south (upstream) side where the city already owns land, officials said. Small permanent parcels and temporary construction easements will be required at the outlet end of the pipe and along both banks; the plan includes new curbs, sidewalks and drainage in front of four properties on the south side and work affecting two properties on the north (downstream) side.

Morgan Festock, engineering project coordinator for the city of Scranton, was named the primary contact for affected neighbors. Resident Linda McCauley (also known as Linda Vadowski) told officials she wanted clearer notice about driveway access and yard impacts. "I don't like surprises, so I'd like to know step by step along the way of what impact personally it's gonna be on me," she said. City staff said incremental, detailed right-of-way plans will be provided to affected owners and that staff can meet at Forest City Hall or at property locations to review easement details before any signing.

Officials summarized the regulatory and procedural steps that must occur before construction. The Department of Environmental Protection issued a temporary permit for emergency work and the city proceeded with temporary stabilization, but permanent design, environmental clearance and a public input process are still required before final right-of-way plats, appraisals and acquisitions can proceed. "Final design, right-of-way clearances and acquisition, and completion of the utility relocation design" must be complete before bidding, officials said.

Scheduling: the team said the project letting is expected toward the end of the current year, with the construction contract beginning the following year. Precast fabrication and utility relocation design work are planned for 2026, with the detour and physical culvert installation scheduled for spring–summer 2027; officials gave April 2027 as the anticipated on-site start month. The city and PennDOT said constructability review meetings will establish a contractor schedule and contractual time limits for the detour; those limits have not been set but will include contract damages for delays.

No formal action or vote occurred at the meeting. Officials held the session for public input and to present the environmental and design approach; they said additional detailed plans and direct contact will follow for affected property owners.

Contact: Morgan Festock, engineering project coordinator, City of Scranton, was listed as the point of contact for neighbors with concerns or questions about right-of-way and construction impacts.