The River Street Bridge over the Tonawanda Creek, which is owned and maintained by Genesee County, received more than $2 million in federal aid to help develop a plan to rehabillitate the structure.
The total estimated cost to rehab the bridge is $2,155,000, divided between three seperate funds:
- 80 percent funded by Federal Highway Administration
- Estimated 15 percent funded by New York State Department of Transportation
- Estimated 5 percent funded by local share (taxpayers)
At an information meeting at City Hall Wednesday night, County Highway Superintendent Timothy Hens said the project would take between four to six months and will begin next June. Construction will take place in eight-hour shifts beginning at 8 a.m.
The bridge was built in 1975. Senior project engineer Jonathan M. Walczak said one of its fault is that the joints were placed at the bottom of the beams and the saltwater and severe weather of Western New York winters took its toll on the bridge joints. He proposes raising the joints so that it's harder for salt and river water to reach them.
A River Street resident asked about raising the actual roadway of River Street and Walczak replied "It's so flat out here, the geometrics just won't let us raise the bridge."
The engineer's team is already in contact with National Fuel talking about the eight-inch natural gas main; the gas main will be maintained.
River Street residents debated about how handicapped individuals who live at the Birchwood Village Apartments would get to work without bridge access, since several of them work at Tops Market in Batavia.
"I will try to be in touch with local employers to see if we can get an alternate way of transportation," Walczak replied.
Residents suggested installing a temporary sidewalk and Walczak seems open to such ideas.
He was also asked about the dimensions of the sidewalk, five-feet wide, and bridge railing, 45-inches high, and said both will be kept the same.
River Street resident Nann Zorn wasn't at the meeting but wrote to Highway Superintendent Hens espressing concern about the bridge's months-long closure.
"There are hundreds of pedestrains who use this bridge every day as a main route to their employment and to obtain provisions and necessities for their daily lives," Zorn wrote.
That sparked spirited debate on whether it was possible to keep a temporary path open over creek during bridge reconstruction. The proposed detour would be approximately 1.7 miles long and consist of using West Main Street, Oak Street and Pearl Street instead.
