Emergency Bridge Repairs Under Way In Brewerton

As of 8:30 p.m. today – Friday, August 29 – the Route 11 bridge over the Oneida River in Brewerton has been re-opened to traffic in both directions, with a 20 ton weight restriction.  This was made possible by the installation of a temporary repair using a “carrier” beam installed in the northbound shoulder (the northbound shoulder will remain closed).  A more permanent repair to the deteriorated floor beam truss connection will be made in the near future.

Vehicles over the 20 ton limit must use an alternate route, such as Bartel Road, I-81 and State route 49.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE BELOW

BREWERTON, NY – New York State’s emergency bridge repair contractor was onsite at the state Route 11 Bridge in Brewerton Friday (Aug. 29) assessing the work needed after the Department of Transportation declared the structure unsafe for vehicle traffic yesterday.

IMG_3759DOT spokesman Gene Cilento said in a press release that a morning inspection revealed “significant deterioration in a steel connection area on one of the floor beams near the south end of the bridge.”

The Brewerton Bridge, at the most western shore of Oneida Lake, spans the Oneida River and connects the communities of Brewerton and Central Square in Oswego County with Cicero, Clay and North Syracuse in Onondaga County.

Preparation for repair began as soon as the unsatisfactory condition was identified and Cilento said the state’s emergency bridge repair contractor was dispatched at that time.

IMG_3750The bridge was closed as of Friday morning with traffic detours using Bartel Road, Interstate 81 and State Route 49.

The closest bridges spanning the waterway are Interstate 81 at Bartel Road and county Route 33 in Caughdenoy.

Work crews were on site in Brewerton and by noon Friday could be seen constructing work platforms under the affected area of the bridge.

IMG_3763It is uncertain how long emergency repairs will take.

The DOT spokesman said the bridge’s weekday traffic is approximately 12,500 vehicles.

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