The one-lane, metal-mesh bridge crossing the Tonawanda Creek at South Lyon Street was put in place in 1984 -- as a temporary bridge.
But Highway Superintendent Tim Hens told county legislators on Monday that it won't be replaced any time soon.
There's been a 40-percent cut in federal aid for roads and bridges and the South Lyon bridge replacement -- originally slated for 2014 -- had its funding slashed by the state.
The earliest it could be replaced is 2018.
Using grant money now to design a new bridge would start a 10-year clock on getting the bridge built, with no promise that it could be built by 2023. So, the design money for South Lyon needs to go to other projects, Hens said.
Those projects include the North Pembroke Road bridge, the Hopkins Road bridge and the Griswold Road bridge.
The current replacement cost for the South Lyon bridge is $1.7 million. The current bridge is known as a "Baily bridge," a design developed during World War II for pre-fab, easily installed bridges.
The bridge handles 2,500 cars a day and if it were simply closed, crossings at Oak Street and River Street, which already have heavy traffic, would take on the overflow.
(COR Development out of Syracuse was recently granted tax abatements by Genesee County Economic Development Center of $1.7 million for renovations at Batavia Towne Center.)
Really? The North Pembroke
Really? The North Pembroke Road bridge needs maintenance BEFORE the South Lyon bridge? That seems absolutely ridiculous to me. The reason it is going to cost so much to replace the South Lyon bridge is because repairs have been put off for YEARS.
Remember the statement, "According to New York Bridges Are Falling Down, the steel deck bridge was built in 1910 and is rated at 4.875 (on a scale of 1-7), putting it in the "dangerous" category." from the article http://thebatavian.com/howard-owens/legislators-approve-funding-replace… (dated August 1, 2012)? Is it dangerous or not? [<em>This is not an attack on what was reported by Howard. Not at all! I am just trying to prove a point that our officials/legislators need to put the money where it is needed and not where it looks better.</em>]
In reply to a comment to the article mentioned above, Tim Hens said, "The secondary structural beams under the bridge are rotten--most likely from salt being tracked onto the bridge in winter. Also, the single lane is a non-standard feature for obvious reasons." So, why are you going to put off fixing the bridge?
Though the following does not seem to indicate that the bridge is "dangerous," it sure does indicate that repairs are past-due.
Name: SOUTH LYON STREET over TONAWANDA CREEK
Structure number: 000000002210820
Location: AT CITY BATAVIA
Purpose: Carries highway and pedestrian walkway over waterway
Route classification: Local (Urban) [19]
Length of largest span: 131.9 ft. [40.2 m]
Total length: 131.9 ft. [40.2 m]
Roadway width between curbs: 13.1 ft. [4.0 m]
Deck width edge-to-edge: 15.7 ft. [4.8 m]
Owner: City or Municipal Highway Agency [04]
Year built: 1910
Year reconstructed: 1986
Historic significance: Bridge is not eligible for the National Register of Historic Places [5]
Main span material: Steel [3]
Main span design: Truss - Thru [10]
Deck type: Steel plate (includes orthotropic) [5]
Wearing surface: Epoxy Overlay [5]
Source: http://uglybridges.com/1383840
2010 Inspection
Status: Open, no restriction [A]
Average daily traffic: 2,564 [as of 2007]
Truck traffic: 2% of total traffic
Deck condition: Satisfactory [6 out of 9]
Superstructure condition: Fair [5 out of 9]
Substructure condition: Satisfactory [6 out of 9]
Channel protection: Bank protection is in need of minor repairs. River control devices and embankment protection have a little minor damage. Banks and/or channel have minor amounts of drift. [7]
Scour condition: Bridge foundations determined to be stable for the assessed or calculated scour condition. [8]
Operating rating: 80.7 tons [73.4 metric tons]
Inventory rating: 25.4 tons [23.1 metric tons]
Evaluation: Functionally obsolete [2]
Sufficiency rating: 48.5
Recommended work: Widening of existing bridge with deck rehabilitation or replacement. [34]
Estimated cost of work: $2,226,000
Source: http://uglybridges.com/1383840
2000 Inspection:
Status: Open, no restriction [A]
Average daily traffic: 1,652 [as of 1998]
Truck traffic: 2% of total traffic
Deck condition: Satisfactory [6 out of 9]
Superstructure condition: Fair [5 out of 9]
Substructure condition: Satisfactory [6 out of 9]
Channel protection: Bank protection is in need of minor repairs. River control devices and embankment protection have a little minor damage. Banks and/or channel have minor amounts of drift. [7]
Scour condition: Bridge foundations determined to be stable for the assessed or calculated scour condition. [8]
Operating rating: 75.8 tons [68.9 metric tons]
Inventory rating: 21.9 tons [19.9 metric tons]
Evaluation: Functionally obsolete [2]
Sufficiency rating: 43.4
Recommended work: Replacement of bridge or other structure because of relocation of road. [32]
Estimated cost of work: $1,431,000
Source: http://uglybridges.com/1383840
1992 Inspection:
Status: Open, no restriction [A]
Average daily traffic: 700 [as of 1991]
Truck traffic: 10% of total traffic
Deck condition: Satisfactory [6 out of 9]
Superstructure condition: Fair [5 out of 9]
Substructure condition: Fair [5 out of 9]
Channel protection: Banks are protected or well vegetated. River control devices such as spur dikes and embankment protection are not required or are in a stable condition. [8]
Scour condition: Scour calculation/evaluation has not been made. [6]
Operating rating: 58.2 tons [52.9 metric tons]
Inventory rating: 18.6 tons [16.9 metric tons]
Evaluation: Functionally obsolete [2]
Sufficiency rating: 45.5
Recommended work: Other structural work, including hydraulic replacements. [38]
Estimated cost of work: $44,000
Source: http://uglybridges.com/1383840
In 2000, the inspection recommended, "Replacement of bridge or other structure because of relocation of road." In 2010, the inspection recommended "Widening of existing bridge with deck rehabilitation or replacement."
It is an unsafe bridge and NEEDS attention! What will it take? The bridge falling out? We refuse to use that bridge because we can see, hear and feel how dangerous it actually is, so I know it won't be me or or my family on that bridge when it happens!! Have you ever taken a look underneath it... shocking!
In my opinion, more traffic in other areas by closing the bridge on South Lyon to prevent an accident is well worth it!! (Would it actually be an <em>accident</em> if it is known that the bridge is considered "dangerous"?)
If you are not going to replace the bridge any time soon, at the very least, PLEASE spend some money to make necessary repairs to make it safe until you actually <em>can</em> replace it.
That's my two cents. Thank you.
For clarification, although
For clarification, although flagged for structural deficiencies by the state and considered functionally obsolete by federal standards, the South Lyons St bridge is not considered "unsafe".
The single lane "Bailey" bridge in service today was installed in 1986 on top of abutments that were constructed in 1910. The abutments are still in fairly decent shape, but the Bailey bridge has several secondary structural members which have corroded and are in pretty rough shape.
The South Lyons Street bridge was scheduled for a complete replacement in 2014 and was on the State Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) in the original 2011-14 program. The bridge was "deferred" from the program by the State DOT and the Genesee Transportation Council (GTC) as they had to react to the lower amount of capital funds available. Genesee County had previously received funds to start the design of the project in 2012, but without knowing whether the project would be funded in the 2014-17 TIP, a design for the replacement was not started. Genesee County resubmitted the South Lyons Street bridge to NYSDOT and GTC for consideration under the 2014-17 TIP, but due to significantly lower amounts of federal aid for the entire region, the South Lyons Street bridge was nowhere near the funding line. Given that the soonest the project could be eligible for funding would be 2018, and with a ten-year expiration on completion of bridge projects from initial receipt of design funds, Genesee County decided not to obligate the design money and instead asked for GTC to re-designate these funds towards other Genesee County projects that remained on the TIP.
It does seem odd that the North Pembroke Rd bridge would move forward prior to the South Lyons St bridge, bu it is only due to nuances with federal aid and project selection. The North Pembroke Rd bridge was selected under a maintenance specific program that targeted bridge bearings and pedestal repairs. The bridge was identified by NYSDOT as a good candidate and received funding prior to the deferments and reductions in federal aid. That project continues to move forward for completion this summer and is a good use of funding as it will significantly extend the life of the bridge at a much lower cost that a full replacement.
The County will be investigating options for making repairs to the Bailey Bridge on South Lyons Street, but as the bridge is prefabricated and is of truss design, any repairs may be challenging or potentially impossible.
Ultimately the bridge does need to be replaced, as the single lane is a non-standard feature which creates the obsolescence per federal standards. The cost to replace will be significant due to the close proximity of the intersection with South Main Street and the potential for significant real property acquisitions on the north end of the bridge.
With federal aid being concentrated at major highways and interstates, the funding available to local governments is about 40 percent less than what it was under previous federal highway programs. This leaves counties, especially small rural counties like Genesee County, in a very difficult position when it comes to bridge reconstruction. The estimated $1.7 million needed just for the South Lyons Street bridge exceeds what the County spends on its entire road and bridge network for the whole year and far exceeds what could be paid for via sales or property tax collections.
I know our tax rates are high and conventional wisdom would think that a large portion of this is going towards highway and bridge repairs, but the reality is that the highway budget makes up less than 3% of the county's budget and only one-third of that (or 1% total) goes towards road and bridge maintenance. The other two thirds go towards snow plowing and labor and benefits.
I encourage everyone to contact Congress and let them know that the Federal Highway Administration should not forget about local roads--without them we are going nowhere!
Funny how there is always
Funny how there is always money for the county airport that very few use,or money to build roads in half full industrial parks but no money for a bridge that many people use every day