Albion village asks Congressional, state and county reps for help with closed Brown Street bridge

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Brown Street bridge over the Erie Canal in the Village of Albion has been closed for more than a decade. Village officials worry about the deteriorating condition of the bridge.

ALBION – The Albion Village Board is reaching out to the county, state and federal levels for help with the deteriorating Brown Street canal bridge.

The structure from 1912 has been closed to vehicular traffic since July 18, 2012 after an inspection by the state Department of Transportation showed serious deterioration of major elements of the steel truss floor system.

The Village Board wants the bridge to get a major rehabilitation or be removed. A letter was sent to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney, U.S. Rep. Joe Morelle, State Sen. Rob Ortt, Assemblyman Steve Hawley and County Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson.

“State or Federal resources are needed now to improve the status of this bridge,” according to the letter from Mayor Angel Javier Jr., Deputy Mayor Joyce Riley and trustees Tim McMurray, Chris Barry and David Buczek.

The board states in the letter the bridge was last rehabbed in 1955 – 69 years ago.

The bridge remains open for pedestrians, but village officials said rusty bridge pieces are falling into the canal. The board included photos in the letter of the bridge, calling it a “biohazard” for the Erie Canal.

“You can see clearly from the pictures the erosion of paint, rust, steel fragments, missing bolts and concrete that have fallen into the canal,  contaminating it and its tributaries, like Sandy Creek,” according to the letter from the board.

The village officials note the Brown Street bridge is the third north-south crossing eliminated in the village, with the Clarendon Street bridge demolished and Clinton Street railroad crossing closed.

The village in December asked the DOT to work on the bridge by repairing or removing it – at the very least have it painted.

“We have talked to local and regional officials about this bridge, and everyone passes it to someone else,” the letter states. “Who is the final arbiter? Who will help determine if this bridge is to remain or fall into the canal? Will someone please respond to this request for HELP? Or will we again hear crickets?”