The $10.7 million project to rehabilitate seven historic single-lane bridges across the Erie Canal in the towns of Murray, Albion, Gaines, Ridgeway and the Village of Medina has now been completed. The state Department of Transportation replaced the steel flooring and raised the legal weight limit on all seven 100-year old truss bridges to allow farm equipment, trucks, and other commercial vehicles to safely pass while simultaneously improving the flow of both people and commerce throughout the region. The historic project builds on the regional Finger Lakes Forward initiative, which has already invested over $8 billion to revitalize communities and facilitate commerce along the Erie Canal and the surrounding region.
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “The Erie Canal is a treasured part of the history of New York State and continues to play a vital role in sustaining the economic health and well-being of the Finger Lakes Region. The rehabilitation of these bridges demonstrates our commitment to improving the canal’s infrastructure to meet the needs of a 21st century economy while still respecting the important role the canal and the bridges have played in the history of not only the region but also the entire state and nation.”
Construction on the project began in December 2018 and has included repairs to the structures and installation of high-strength galvanized steel to replace steel flooring systems and truss elements of the bridges. Each bridge also received a fresh coat of paint. Work took place at the following locations:
•Bennetts Corners Road, between Route 31 and Gulf Road, in the Town of Murray.
•Telegraph Road, between Route 237 and Groth Road, in the Town of Murray.
•Transit Road, between Route 31 and West Brockville Road, in the Town of Murray.
•Densmore Road, north of Route 31, in the Town of Albion.
•Gaines Basin Road, between Albion Eagle Harbor Road and West Bacon Road, just north of the Albion Correctional Facility, in the Town of Gaines.
•Bates Road, between Telegraph Road and Portage Road, in the Village of Medina.
•Marshall Road, between Route 31 and School Road, in the Town of Ridgeway.
Orleans County Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson said, “Investing in infrastructure is an easy thing to ignore, and you don’t know it’s too late until you are in crisis mode. It’s great to see this kind of investment paying dividends in developing reliable infrastructure that will keep our economy strong.”
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