Solomon Creek Restoration Project Completed
Today, Thursday, December 3rd, Wilkes-Barre City Mayor George C. Brown hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of the Phase 2 reconstruction of the Solomon Creek Wall and completion of the pump station. The total length of wall replaced for the Solomon Creek project was 1,442 feet (Phase 1: 702 feet and Phase 2: 740 feet). The project engineer was Borton-Lawson and the contractor was Don E. Bower Construction.
Mayor Brown was joined by State Senator John T. Yudichak, State Representative Eddie Day Pashinski, and Tammy Aita on behalf of Congressman Matt Cartwright. The Mayor was also joined by members of his staff who worked directly on the project, including Director of Operations/Deputy Administrator Butch Frati, Director of Economic and Community Development Joyce Zaykowski, and Grants Coordinator Mark Barry. City Council Chair Bill Barrett, Council Vice Chair Tony Brooks, and Councilman Mike Belusko also attended. Representatives from the project engineering firm, Borton-Lawson, and local residents, including Andy Reno, attended the ribbon cutting which signified the completion of Phase 2 of the project.
“The project has been in the works for a long time and is finally complete. There are many people who should be recognized for their part in today’s completion, include previous Mayors Anthony George and Thomas Leighton and former OCED Director Kurt Sauer” said Mayor George C. Brown.
Remarks from State Senator John T. Yudichak:
After years of neglect, the functional failure of the Solomon Creek Flood Control Protection System in 2016 threatened both lives and livelihoods in south Wilkes-Barre,” said State Senator John Yudichak.
“A collaborative team of state and local leaders, led by Gov. Tom Wolf and DCED Secretary Dennis Davin, delivered $5.2 million to restore the walls and flood gates of this essential flood control project for Wilkes-Barre.”
“The residents of South Wilkes-Barre have been justifiably frustrated and have lost patience with politicians who kept promising results on Solomon Creek, but always failed to deliver. Today, the taxpayers of Wilkes-Barre can now feel safe and secure, again, behind the fully restored Solomon Creek Flood Protection System.”