STROUDSBURG, MONROE CO. (WOLF) — The I-80 Project Impact taskforce, Residents and officials met Tuesday evening, discussing continued concerns about the proposed expansion of I-80.
“They’ve gone a little bit overboard in terms of the amount of highway they want to lay down and the fact that it won’t solve the congestion that we have today,”
Joe Scocozza is a resident of the Borough and is not against improving the roadway but feels PennDOT is not listening to the people.
“I am still here to give my voice and try to do something to make it a good situation for everybody in the long haul, but I also still have some doubt that there will be a possibility of some change to the program,”
Scocozza along with other residents and Representative Tarah Probst created alternative improvements that were sent to Transportation Secretary, Mike Carroll before the New Year.
In response to the proposed alternate plans, Secretary of Transportation, Mike Carroll says,
“After careful consideration, we are unable to accommodate Representative Probst’s request due to its incompatibility with the project’s objectives, “
Representative Probst was not surprised about the refusal.
“I just can’t understand why they’re hell-bent on destroying our town. They are side-tracked on doing only what they want to do even though the design is ancient, and they are putting our community at risk and harm,”
Probst acknowledges that the I-80 expansion is not the only project on PennDOT’s mind but feels that should not mean that they are discounted.
“We matter we are the County seat of Monroe County, and we deserve to be listened to, be heard, and be respected and to do what is right in our community,”
The group says they do appreciate the PennDOT workers out on the roads each day, but wish the Administrators would hear their concerns and create a new plan.