Members of the Valmont Industrial Park Association, West Hazleton Borough, and CAN DO met Wednesday to discuss West Hazleton Borough’s plan for replacing the deteriorating bridge on Jaycee Drive in Valmont Industrial Park.

Dominic J. Yannuzzi, PE, CM, a project manager with the engineering firm Benesch, outlined details of the steps being taken by West Hazleton to make extensive upgrades to the bridge which is tentatively scheduled to begin on or around October 1, 2021.

The Jaycee Drive bridge virtually cuts the (Valmont) industrial park in half with significant truck and employee traffic incurred by the nearly fifty industries within the park. The project will require detours with one entrance to the park serving the north side and another entrance serving the south side. Yannuzzi explained the three ways that the bridge project could be completed and he outlined all of the variables for the audience in great detail. Additionally, he noted that companies bidding on the project will have to provide proposals for each of the three scenarios but that all of the proposals will require a concrete deck on the bridge.

The group was informed that inspections of the bridge are being done frequently to ensure its safety until the project begins in early October. Once work begins, the project is expected to take six to nine months with a total project cost of roughly 1.5 million dollars. It was also mentioned that the resurfacing of Deer Run Road from Route 93 to the entrance of Valmont Industrial Park will also be completed as part of the project.

CAN DO and West Hazleton Borough noted that the project affects businesses and residence in both West Hazleton and Hazle Township. More importantly, both organizations acknowledged the impact these detours will have on the daily operations of industries that are located directly next to or around the project site.

In another matters discussed during the park association meeting, Mark Minnig, CAN DO’s Director of Business Development, provided industry representatives with a list of CAN DO contacts that can be used to address specific questions or concerns by department.