State approves funding for 3 bridge/culvert projects in Orleans

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 July 2024 at 3:08 pm

About $3 million in state funds will go towards replacing two bridges and one culvert in Orleans County, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced.

The projects in Orleans include:

$959,000 million to Orleans County for the replacement of Gillette Road bridge
$1.151 million to Orleans County for the replacement of Lakeshore Road bridge
$1.035 million to Orleans County for the replacement of Eagle Harbor-Knowlesville Road culvert carrying the tributary to Oak Orchard Creek

The governor announced $484 million state-wide has been awarded through the Bridge NY program, which includes 216 bridges or culverts in 137 communities. The bridges and culverts will either be replaced or receive major rehabilitations to enhance safety and improve the resiliency and sustainability of New York’s transportation infrastructure, Hochul said.

“As New York continues to experience the effects of climate change firsthand, we need to make critical infrastructure upgrades so our communities can withstand the extreme weather to come,” Hochul said. “Working closely with local governments, we are investing millions to harden more than 200 bridges and culverts across the State, enhancing public safety and make these structures ready for whatever mother nature can throw at us.”

As part of $33 billion capital plan adopted in 2022, $1 billion was committed to Bridge NY, effectively doubling the size of the program. The projects selected were picked based on input from Regional and Metropolitan Planning Organizations and the funding will support all phases of project delivery, including design, right-of-way acquisition and construction.

The projects approved last year in Orleans County included:

$1.295 million to Orleans County for the replacement of the Route 279 bridge over Beardsley Creek.
$1.535 million to Orleans County for the replacement of the Groth Road bridge over East Branch Sandy Creek.
$952,000 to Orleans County for the replacement of the Eagle Harbor Road culvert carrying the tributary to Otter Creek.
$1.038 million to the Town of Albion for the replacement of the Phipps Road culvert carrying the tributary to Otter Creek, Orleans County.