500+ days after closure, first responders and local leaders demand Gillett Road Bridge reopening

Public safety leaders from the Town of Ogden and the Village of Spencerport held a press conference June 3 to issue a unified and urgent call to CSX Corporation: take immediate action to reopen the Gillett Road Bridge. The bridge has been closed since December 6, 2023 due to structural concerns.

Joined by first responders, municipal officials, and concerned residents, local leaders emphasized that the prolonged closure of this essential north-south crossing over the CSX rail line could endanger lives and place the entire community at unacceptable risk.

In a formal letter sent to CSX President Joseph R. Hinrichs on Monday, June 2, the chiefs of the Spencerport Fire Department, Ogden Police Department, and Gates Volunteer Ambulance, along with the Town of Ogden Supervisor and Village of Spencerport Mayor, described the closure as a “critical threat to public safety.”

The Gillett Road Bridge serves as a vital connection between emergency services and the northern neighborhoods of Ogden and Spencerport, including the main Spencerport Fire District station, Ogden’s ambulance district, and Spencerport Central School District’s primary campus. With the bridge closed, emergency vehicles face delays that could have tragic consequences.

From delayed fire suppression to slowed EMS response during cardiac arrests, officials cited research from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and emergency medical data to highlight the risks. Police coverage and patrol strategy have also been disrupted, stretching resources thin and reducing visibility in key neighborhoods.

The letter also notes that CSX has ignored multiple “red flag” warnings about the bridge’s condition, issued in 2022 and 2023, despite having made repairs to the same structure in 2009 following a previous warning. Officials argue this pattern of neglect, combined with the company’s ongoing collection of fees from the Town of Ogden for infrastructure use on CSX property, confirms it is their responsibility to maintain the bridge.

“The residents of the Town of Ogden, the Village of Spencerport, and all who depend on timely emergency response cannot afford further inaction,” the letter concludes. “Let us focus now on solutions – not delays, disputes, or deferrals.”

The signatories are requesting a written response and a timeline for repairs from CSX.

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