WOODSTOCK, N.Y. – Town Board members have approved an easement that will allow Ulster County Department of Public Works to replace a bridge over the Sawkill Creek on Zena Road.
Authorization for county crews to use the town-owned property was given Tuesday during a video conference meeting.
“The bridge … by Zena Cornfield, which is owned by (Woodstock) Land Conservancy, needs to be replaced,” Supervisor Bill McKenna said.
Officials said the crossing needs to be wider and the approach angle needs to be improved.
“This is going to require them coming over onto the town property a little bit,” McKenna said.
The project was discussed two years ago in a presentation by county project engineer Barry Anctil to the Town Board.
“The bridge is founded on soil,” he said. “Current standards require the bridge over a waterway to be founded on piles or on rock. So that is a concern for this structure.”
Officials reported the 48-foot long bridge, which has an average daily traffic volume of 2,495 vehicles, was constructed in 1931. The state Department of Transportation reports the bridge was last inspected on July 14, 2020, and found to be in poor condition.
“It had major rehab with the superstructure replacement in 1995, which included a corrugated steel deck with an asphalt overlay,” Anctil said. “The new superstructure in ‘95 was placed on the existing concrete abutment … founded on soil.”
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, county officials had planned to begin work in spring 2021 and finish during late fall or early winter, but a revised schedule has not been announced.
When work does start, traffic that would ordinarily connect to state Route 212 will be detoured to state Route 28 and state Route 375.
Officials report the current bridge has exposed footers along the full length of the abutments. They added that the bridge deck is heavily cracked, which is causing corrosion and deterioration due to leaking onto steel girders.
The bridge is also anticipated to be raised by 8 to 18 inches to improve flow during high water events.
