Staff Report
OSWEO, NY – Mayor Randolph F. Bateman has announced that the opening of the new Route 104 Bridge will take place on Monday, approximately three weeks ahead of the scheduled date of completion.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place on Sunday.
It will be at 1 p.m. at the west end of the bridge.
The mayor has invited officials from the NYS Department of Transportation, Vector Construction, and elected representatives to attend.
The public is welcome to join in the brief ribbon-cutting ceremony.
An Open Letter From The Mayor Upon The Occasion Of The Opening
Of The New Bridge On Route 104 Over The Oswego River
The first bridge, constructed in the 19th century, crossed the Oswego River with a swing bridge and a pivot draw span to allow ships and barges to navigate the river.
It was only 40 feet wide.
The second bridge, constructed in 1911 on the original piers, eliminated the draw bridge and widened the bridge to 64 feet.
In 1968, the bridge was totally reconstructed with new piers that raised the deck 3.5 feet on the east side and 1.25 feet on the west side of the bridge to accommodate shipping and barge traffic.
Today, our new bridge is a completely new structure built upon the 1968 fully rehabilitated concrete piers.
The total width is 70.65 feet and it is 536 feet long.
The Texas Aesthetic style barrier is 4 feet high and includes 4†wide slots.
It includes 8 multi-girder spans across the river and used 530 tons of steel to construct.
The monolithic concrete deck is 8†thick and incorporated 1,200 cubic yards of concrete and all new expansion joints with new valves.
The bridge project has also brought our city two new 16†diameter water lines across the bridge.
The overall construction of the bridge provides a more durable structure of pre-stressed concrete.
Other improvements throughout the city include a new stairway next to the HSBC bank connecting Route 104 with the East Riverwalk and Lock 8 on the Oswego Canal and the Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor.
This new bridge on Route 104 is not only a vital part of the connection between east and west in the City of Oswego; it is a symbol of Oswego’s commercial and economic resurgence.
Bridges are connections that link commercial, community, and cultural traffic and with the reopening of the Route 104 Bridge, Oswego now has both bridges to ensure that bond.
We in the City of Oswego are very grateful for the patient and deliberate planning that went into the bridge reconstruction.
NYS Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Astrid Glynn and DOT Regional Director Carl Ford are to be commended for investing over $10 million in Oswego’s new bridge.
This new structure includes a new and more beautiful railing system that complements our waterfront and shows off the Oswego Harbor in all its glory.
I would like to acknowledge the support of State Senator Darrel Aubertine and the funding provided by Assemblyman Will Barclay for the upgraded light poles on the new bridge.
NYS DOT Regional Director Carl Ford recently commented that “This bridge project is a great example of what can happen when state and local governments work together. That cooperative effort, and the efficient work of our prime contractor, Vector Corporation, have combined to bring about an early finish. This project provides a safe, convenient passage across an attractive new bridge over the Oswego River, while helping to improve and modernize our state infrastructure.â€ÂÂ
We also want to acknowledge the great care and skill that has been provided by the NYS DOT engineers.
John DeOrdio, Anthony Ilacqua, Frank Brosch, Engineer in Charge, Steven Kokkoris, Design Engineer, Jennifer Popson and Nick DeCirce of the Design Group -Structures Unit have all done a wonderful job beginning with their public outreach and culminating with the magnificent new bridge.
Vector Construction’s Patrick Hartigan has completed the project within budget and ahead of schedule which is a true blessing for the citizens of the City of Oswego.
We want to thank the owners of all of Oswego’s businesses that have shown such fortitude and strength of character and most of all patience in accepting that the bridge project just had to be undertaken and making the best of a trying situation.
We have seen our local businesses survive and thrive in spite of this adversity.
I would again ask our citizens to redouble our efforts to think of our Oswego businesses first in this upcoming shopping season.
“Buy Local and Buy Oswego First.â€ÂÂ
We have the finest small city on the Great Lakes – let’s ensure that our businesses continue to grow and prosper.
We need to thank the Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Business Committee and the Architectural Review Committee whose input provided a clear vision of the grand design for the new bridge.
Oswego’s 2020 Plan has once again proven that with good planning, beautiful things can be accomplished for our fair city.
We are grateful to all of our partners who coordinated with our city department heads and the NYS DOT – Centro, Oswego City School District, Oswego Hospital, Harborfestivals Inc. and Oswego County Emergency Management Coordinator, Pat Egan.
I want to express my deep appreciation for our city staff, City Engineer Anthony Leotta, Police Chief Michael Dehm, Fire Chief Joseph Perry, Community Development Director Mary Vanouse, former Public Works Commissioner Richard Bateman and Acting Public Works Commissioner Mike Smith.
It is through the diligent efforts of these department heads and their dedicated staff that Oswego has been so successful in addressing all of the possible scenarios that could have meant disaster to our city.
And lastly, I want to thank all of the citizens of the City of Oswego and the surrounding community.
You have shown great patience and strength of character with all of the inconveniences that the closing of the Route 104 Bridge has meant to all of us.
We planned our trips, we rode our bikes, we walked, we shopped local, and we made the best of a bad situation.
Today we get to celebrate the hard work of all involved and the monetary support of the State of New York in providing us this glorious new bridge that should last another 50 years and connect Oswego to a new era of economic and cultural resurgence.
