I just spent entirely too long trying to come up with an interesting title for this blog post. It didn’t happen. But hopefully the information below will be helpful for you, reader friends!
We have been fortunate to receive rehabilitation funding for all five of our river crossings. One of them – the Clemens Center Parkway Bridge – is complete, and the other four projects are coming up. Below is an overview, moving from west to east. (Please note that while the dates may change, this information is current as of February 2019.)
The City will rehabilitate the Walnut Street Bridge thanks to a BRIDGE NY grant, with an estimated start date of July 2019. In early July, closures will begin, but the project will maintain two-way vehicular and pedestrian traffic until 2020 (Date TBD), when the bridge closes entirely for construction.
The City will begin rehabilitation of the Main Street Bridge in 2021. The project will repair the bridge decay and enhance public safety while preserving the structure for another 20 to 30 years.
The Lake Street Bridge, closed to all traffic in 2011 due to structural deficiencies, will be open for pedestrian and bicycle use from March—June 2019, while the Madison Avenue Bridge (below) undergoes rehabilitation. After Madison re-opens, Lake Street will undergo its own rehabilitation as part of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI). The bridge will be a linear park connecting the City’s downtown and south side, while providing a new community gathering space and link to amenities such as Brand Park and the Lackawanna Rail Trail. State and federal programs, with cooperation from local utilities, are fully funding the project. Anticipated dates of construction are August 2019 through 2020, although some work will begin this spring. Note: the graphic above is a preliminary design concept from the public meeting and is subject to modifications during final design.
Finally, the Madison Avenue Bridge will undergo its rehab (also with BRIDGE NY funding) starting this week. On February 26, the city will close one lane of the bridge in order to add communication lines in advance of the rehabilitation. The project will maintain two-way traffic until mid-March when the bridge will close until late June. As stated above, the Lake Street Bridge will be the alternate route for pedestrians and bicyclists while Madison is fully closed to traffic.
Thank you to our pals at Chemung County Department of Public Works for this information!
Elmiraland is a website, blog, and social media presence dedicated to everything Elmira. Taking time to enjoy what’s around us; always looking forward to what’s next!
Billy Connely
February 25, 2019 at 9:49 pm
That’s only 4 but they the Clemons Center Bridge was fixed last year.
Turning Lake into another park just brings the drugs right to center town. All the parks in the city are infested with dealers. Nice move Elmira.
Ewa Wdzieczak-Smering
February 26, 2019 at 10:21 am
I think we might differ on what we consider “parks”. It is not like Lake Street Bridge is seriously fenced off with razor wire right now anyway. It’s a great idea, and I have been saying it for years.
Jaydan
February 26, 2019 at 10:21 am
Someone trying to do something good for our community- stop making positive things negative.
Bill Duke
February 26, 2019 at 12:17 pm
Bridge parks statistically speaking, have much lower crime rates. They are in a direct line of site from essentially every angle, and only have two routes to exit the park. Which means if someone is seen commiting a crime, there is a much higher chance that it will end in an arrest
Anon
February 26, 2019 at 12:34 pm
I don’t know what kind of paranoid world you live in, Bill.
kathy
February 27, 2019 at 11:34 am
agree with you !!
Elmiraland
February 26, 2019 at 2:52 pm
I could have made a neat retort but didn’t, for I was flurried and didn’t think of it till I was downstairs.
– Mark Twain