Construction begins on levee rehabilitation project in Wilkes-Barre

WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Construction started on Tuesday on the Brookside Levee Rehabilitation Project in Wilkes-Barre.

Within the next eight months, they plan to clear trees around the levee, upgrade the stormwater pump station, add a backup generator, and much more.

This project is expected to give flood protection for 105 buildings.

“Keep in mind the river backs up to the area behind us when it gets to 31 feet. So during the next eight months, we will see a lot of activity to raise the level of the Levee protection, upgrades to the Weir Street pump station, and several other upgrades to the levee,” said Wilkes-Barre City Fire Chief Jay Delaney.

The total cost of this levee upgrade project is estimated at about $1,157,000.

Those funds include $666,000 from the Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority and $400,000 from local LSA grants.

The city of Wilkes-Barre will contribute more than $91,000 towards the project.

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