This letter from the National Park Service, in support of the rehabilitation of the Skinners Falls Bridge, was part of the package submitted by Greenworks to PennDOT. We are highlighting it here because it is such a strong statement of support by an agency that is influential in deciding the fate of the bridge. The letter is summarized below.

Download the full letter as a pdf.

The National Park Service (NPS), Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, would like to express its support for the repair and rehabilitation of the Skinners Falls-Milanville Bridge that will preserve the historic significance and integrity of the bridge while addressing safety concerns and improved access for vehicles and pedestrians.

The Mission of the National Park Service is to preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. In 1978, Congress designated 73.4 miles of the Upper Delaware River as a part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System as a unit of the national park system. The Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River protects, conserves, and enhances the free-flowing character, exceptionally high water quality, and the scenic, recreational, ecological, cultural, and geological values of the Upper Delaware River valley through collaborative partnerships and cooperation with state and local government entities.

The Skinners Falls-Milanville Bridge was completed in 1902 and is an element that supports two of the Outstandingly Remarkable Values (ORV), Cultural and Scenic, for which the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River is worthy of special protection under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. ORVs must be river related or dependent and they must be rare, unique, or exemplary at a comparative regional or national scale.

In conclusion:

In addition to the historical and scenic importance of the bridge, this river crossing is also vital for connecting emergency service providers to the areas where there are incidents requiring law enforcement and medical services.

The Skinners Falls NYSDEC Access is a heavily-used river access that frequently requires emergency service response to, the closest of which comes from the NPS Milanville, PA office. This river location has the most challenging rapids on the Upper Delaware River, and has been the site of numerous drownings and injuries in the past.

Recreation is another one of the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational Rivers identified Outstandingly Remarkable Values. The Upper Delaware River is known for its outstanding recreational opportunities, activities, and access in proximity to millions of people in America’s most densely populated region. It provides high quality, affordable natural recreational experiences, which include boating, swimming, tubing, fishing, hiking, biking, wildlife viewing, birding, and scenic touring, and supports the largest canoe livery industry in the United States. The Skinners Falls Access, beach area, and nearby campground comprise one of the most heavily used locations on the river, and the Skinners Falls/Milanville Bridge is integral to recreation on this part of the river.

I hope this letter assists with identifying the importance of repairing and rehabilitating the Skinners Falls-Milanville Bridge in the Purpose and Need Document, a part of the Federal Highways Planning and Environmental Linages (PEL) process.

Sincerely,
Joseph Salvatore
Superintendent
Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River