Nanticoke Fire Chief Mark Boncal said Monday he has formally submitted an exemption request that would allow a fire engine to cross the Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge for emergencies even though it exceeds the weight limit.
Boncal said a county engineer must review the request with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to determine if it will be granted or denied.
County Manager Romilda Crocamo announced last month the weight limit of the county-owned span over the Susquehanna River was reduced to 5 tons. The decision was made after a review of the bridge inspection report, discussions with PennDOT and “in consideration of public safety,” she had said.
Crocamo confirmed receipt of the fire department’s request and said a meeting with engineers will be held this week to review the matter.
Passenger vehicles are permitted under the reduced weight limit but not fire trucks and emergency rescue vehicles, officials have said.
Nanticoke’s fire department relied on the bridge to provide primary fire/rescue coverage to Plymouth Township’s West Nanticoke area on the other side of the river. Depending on location, other township sections are covered by fire departments in Larksville, Plymouth and Lake Silkworth.
These fire coverage changes stemmed from the 2019 disbanding of the township’s Tilbury Fire and Rescue Station primarily due to financial issues.
If the exemption is approved, the city fire truck would return to Nanticoke by crossing the river over the alternate route now in effect — the John S. Fine Bridge, which is the official name of the Route 29/South Cross Valley Expressway span, Boncal said.
Nanticoke’s engine/pumper weighs 42,000 pounds, which equates to 21 tons, he said.
Use of the Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge would be reserved for life/safety situations involving residential or commercial structure fires or motor vehicle accidents with entrapment, he said.
Route 29 would be used both ways for calls to respond to brush fires or minor fuel spills, he said.
“I’m trying to be proactive,” Boncal said.
His exemption application requests up to 15 trips across the Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge through the end of May 2025.
The 2,072-foot bridge is a combination concrete and steel crossing. County officials have been exploring options to largely replace the existing span or construct a new one.
Some township residents have expressed concerns about longer wait times in emergencies due to the weight reduction.