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WILKES-BARRE – Mayor Tom Leighton has a busy schedule today – officially opening the Barney Street Bridge, overseeing Children’s Day at the Farmers Market and revealing the entertainment line-up for the Aug. 29 “Summer’s Cool on the Square” party.
The mayor will begin his day with opening the renovated Barney Street Bridge at 10 a.m. in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The $2.4 million replacement project involved the fourth of four bridges over Solomon Creek to be reconstructed by the Leighton administration since 2005 — a total investment of more than $11 million.
The bridge opening will bring relief to residents and other drivers when Barney Street is able to handle two-way traffic.
“The opening of the Barney Street Bridge marks a great achievement for the City of Wilkes-Barre,” Leighton said. “Our Solomon Creek Flood Protection Project is an over $11 million initiative that has made South Wilkes-Barre a safer place for residents and businesses.”
The mayor said his administration is committed to increasing public safety and upgrading the city’s infrastructure.
“I would like to thank the residents in the Solomon Creek area for their patience and cooperation throughout this project,” he said. “Now, traffic patterns will be back to normal on Barney Street and everyone in this area will be better protected.”
The South Franklin Bridge opened in August, 2006, the Waller Street Bridge in October 2006 and the Regent Street Bridge in November 2008. The mayor said that as a result of the four bridge projects, residents in the South Wilkes-Barre section of the city are better protected from the damage that can result from high water events at Solomon Creek.
Leighton will be on Public Square today for Children’s Day at the Farmers Market. The market is open from 10:15 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Children’s Day features free entertainment for kids of all ages including magic by Pat Ward at 11:15 a.m. Music by Windfall Enterprises will start at noon.
Leighton will announce today the entertainment for the Aug. 29 Summer’s Cool on the Square event.
Council will decide tonight if it will approve the suspension of a city ordinance that will allow the open consumption of alcoholic beverages on the square for the Summer’s Cool event.