Carbon County commissioners made several motions regarding three of its county-owned bridges that need repairs.

On Thursday, the board ratified an application to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to increase bridge 4’s encumbrance amount to $801,000. The bridge, located along Grist Mill Drive over Quakake Creek in Packer Township, is in need of a complete bridge replacement.

The board also ratified project approval for the bridge to make repairs in the amount of $19,300.

In September, the county approved $7,900 in repairs to the deck of the bridge in question and voted to place barriers on both sides of the bridge and restrict vehicular traffic, changing the weight limit posting from 10 tons to 3 tons.

At that time, a resident, Terry Davis, voiced concerns over the moves because he felt the restrictions would impact busing and winter snow plowing.

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

According to a state inspection in 2022, there were several I-beams that could not carry the legal loads safely.

Other bridges the county ratified project approvals from the state include bridge 3 on East Penn Street in Lehighton and bridge 19 on Pohopoco Drive, Towamensing Township.

Bridge 3 needs approximately $150,000 for deck and beam repairs.

Bridge 19 needs approximately $200,000 for deck and beam repairs.

The commissioners voiced their frustrations in owning 19 bridges in the county but not receiving enough infrastructure money to make a dent in the repairs that are needed to these bridges.

Commissioner Rocky Ahner said that if preventive maintenance was done, these bridges may have not deteriorated to the point that they need extensive repairs.

“We need this money. We’re hearing about infrastructure money, well give it to us instead of giving it to PennDOT,” Ahner said. “Let us fix our bridges. This is one of our headaches. We get $500,000 a year but what do you do with $500,000 to $700,000 on 19 bridges? Paint. That’s about it.”

Commissioner Wayne Nothstein said his question is why does the county owned the bridge over Pohopoco Drive.

“Why does the county own it?” he asked.

County administrator Eloise Ahner said in the 1960s, when the bridge was constructed, the state offered it to Towamensing Township, however officials said they could not maintain it so the county stepped in and took ownership.

Ahner said that Pohopoco Drive should all be a state road and not part township and part state route.

Commissioners’ Chairman Michael Sofranko said that he just doesn’t understand how the county doesn’t own the road that leads up to the bridge, but yet owns a bridge.

“I cannot wrap a thought around that,” he said.