New $2.5M Route 19 bridge opens in Genesee County
The New York State Department of Transportation has completed a $2.5 million project replacing the State Route 19 bridge over the Black Creek Overflow in Bergen. The new bridge has an expected service life of 75 years. Now, the rehabilitated bridge features a seamless surface, widened shoulders, and was raised three feet to accommodate a secondary channel that holds excess water when the creek exceeds its capacity. “The replacement of this century-old bridge will bring the structure up to modern standards, supporting the seamless movement of people and agricultural products, while enhancing public safety travel conditions for the residents, students, visitors and commercial users who regularly travel this route,” NYSDOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said in a statement. The project replaced a 35-foot-long concrete slab bridge built in 1927 with a 50-foot, integral abutment bridge. According to the DOT, Integral abutment bridges lack the metal expansion joints typically found at the ends of conventional bridges, which can create a "bump" for drivers. The lack of expansion joints should provide a smoother ride. Combined with the bridge's corrosion-resistant, galvanized-steel girders, the design is also expected to reduce future closures for unscheduled maintenance. The DOT advises drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists to expect
