Traffic Flowing Over New Span Less Than Four Months After Devastating Rains and Flooding Severely Damaged Previous Structure
New Bridge Enhances Safety and Resiliency Along Key Travel Artery for the Adirondack Region
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that major construction has been completed by the State Department of Transportation on a new bridge carrying State Route 28N over the Fishing Brook in the Town of Long Lake, Hamilton County; fully restoring travel along a vital Adirondack Region roadway less than four months after devastating rains and flooding caused catastrophic damage to the original structure. State Route 28N was one of many roads across New York that suffered significant damage from the severe weather that impacted the state in July.
“The historic rainstorms that severely impacted parts of the state in July caused enormous damage to some of our most important roads and bridges, but as we have seen time and time again there is nobody better at responding to adversity than New Yorkers,” Governor Hochul said. “The completion of this new bridge at Long Lake exemplifies our Build-it-Back-Better mantra and I applaud all the state workers and contractors who worked tirelessly to get it done so quickly and preserve this important travel route through the North Country.”
From July 10 to July 11, parts of the North Country saw several inches of rain in a short period of time, which caused devastating flooding, closing roadways and damaging infrastructure. While the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) – working with county and local municipal crews and contractors – succeeded in reopening most roadways within 24 hours of the storm, the bridge at Fishing Brook was damaged beyond repair. A temporary bridge was erected within three weeks, negating the need for an 80-mile detour as NYSDOT got to work expediting design and construction of a permanent replacement.
NYSDOT expedited design and construction of the new bridge, which is 30 feet longer than the previous span and features a wider opening to allow better water flow and improved resilience against flooding. Wider shoulders will also enhance safety for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists along this key travel corridor that serves many of the region’s tourist and recreational destinations.
In order to streamline construction, NYSDOT utilized steel beams that were already in its inventory. The beams were set and locked inside the concrete abutments, negating the need for joints and improving its resistance to salt corrosion. The new bridge is also supported by piles, which furthers its resilience to severe weather. Although major construction is complete, finishing work – including deconstruction of the temporary bridge - will be taking place at the site over the next few weeks and may require periodic lane closures.
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “The amazing work accomplished by the NYSDOT engineers, highway maintenance crews and contractors shows the dedication this agency has to the communities of New York State. The damage in Long Lake was devastating and we needed a solution that would be manageable in one construction season. We tackled the road and culvert repairs and the Fishing Brook Bridge replacement in record time, ensuring traversable roads before the first snowfall.”