Albion bridge expected to open Dec. 26 after being closed more than 2 years

Photos by Tom Rivers: Contractors have the Main Street lift bridge in Albion barricaded from traffic. This photo was from around noon today on the north side of the bridge.

ALBION – After more than two years of being closed and under construction, the Main Street lift bridge is expected to reopen to traffic on Dec. 26, Village Trustee Joyce Riley said today.

The state Department of Transportation and contractors working on the project were hoping it could reopen on Dec. 19, but another week will be needed, Riley said.

The bridge has been closed to traffic since Nov. 14, 2022. When it closed, the DOT estimated it would reopen in 18 months or the spring of 2024.

But there have been delays in getting materials for the project, pushing the completion back.

The bridge was originally built in 1914. It is one of 16 lift bridges on the Erie Canal, and one of seven in Orleans County.

The rehabbed bridge has new high-strength galvanized steel to replace the steel floor system and select truss members. The project also included upgrades to the mechanical and electrical components of the lifting mechanisms, with improvements to the lift tower.

The bridge railing and guide rail on the bridge approaches have been improved and the bridge has been repainted.

The DOT accepted a $28.3 million construction bid for both the Albion and Brockport lift bridges with Crane-Hogan Structural Systems in Spencerport as the general contractor for both bridges.

The Brockport bridge also has been delayed. It was scheduled to reopen in September but has been pushed to February.

This photo from Dec. 8 shows the view on Main Street on the south side of the bridge. The closed bridge has diverted most of the traffic to village side streets and the Ingersoll Street lift bridge.