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Pembroke, Byron bridges to be replaced through BRIDGE NY program

By Maria Pericozzi

Through Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s BRIDGE NY program, Genesee County received two grants to rebuild two local bridges in Pembroke and Byron.

According to the governor’s website, the state is making $200 million available in enhanced assistance for local governments to rehabilitate and replace bridges and culverts statewide.

The Pratt Road bridge over Tonawanda Creek in Pembroke was structurally red flagged and load posted for 5 tons.

Highway Superintendent Tim Hens said the bridge over Tonawanda Creek is one of the top bridges in terms of need for replacement.

“It’s not a high-volume road,” Hens said. “But it is a key connector.”

The bridge replacement will be $178,000, with 95 percent being federally funded. 

The Searles Road bridge over Spring Creek in Byron will also be replaced.

Hens said the capital project established would amount to $133,000 for the Searles Road bridge, with 95 percent being federally funded.

This fall they will go through the design process and both bridges should be ready for construction in 2018.

“By time the state executes their part of the grant, the clock starts ticking,” Hens said. “We have to have the bridge under construction in 18 months.”

david spaulding

so the pratt rd bridge has been posted for five years with a repair cost of 178 grand. makes me wonder why for so long... Without looking it up, I'll bet one of those tax breaks the Darien Lake Corporation received to install a new ride, would have paid for it. .... One way or another the taxpayer has to foot the bill, and we should all know that the longer you wait the more the repairs cost.

Jun 21, 2017, 7:39pm Permalink
Brian Graz

They should have replaced the Lyon St bridge with a new 2-lane bridge before closing the River St bridge for rebuilding.

Speaking of the River St bridge, it wasn't that long ago [4yr ?] that the County rebuilt that bridge, and now it is being done again... What's going on?

Jun 22, 2017, 12:49pm Permalink
Timothy Hens

Just to be clear, the amounts listed are only for the Design and any Right-of-Way acquisition that might be needed. Construction cost for Pratt (Killian) Rd bridge will be about $1.8 million and the Searles Rd bridge around $600,000. The 5% required from the county totals $101,600 for Pratt Rd and $42,000 for Searles Rd. These amounts factor in the construction inspection costs.

County submitted the South Lyons St bridge to the state for consideration for replacement under federal aid in both 2007 and 2011. It made the federal aid list in 2014, but is was later bumped off as the federal aid program was reduced. It was submitted again for replacement in 2017, but it was not selected as the federal emphasis remained on higher volume roads and the interstate system.

The River Street bridge has been scheduled for replacement for the past three years. The County did repave the bridge deck and repair the expansion joints in 2011, but it was only to prevent road salt from dripping through the deck and worsening the already damaged concrete beams. The beams have been yellow flagged for safety since 2011 and there is no preventative maintenance that could be done to repair the beams due to the way they are constructed. The only solution was to seal up the joints and deck until a time when the bridge structure could be replaced completely.

Jun 22, 2017, 10:22pm Permalink
Brian Graz

Thanks for the detailed explanation. I guess the upside is, that our community is getting our taxpayer money returned via State/Federal funding for these projects. But over all, do we get our equitable share of the pie?

Jun 22, 2017, 11:29pm Permalink

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