Work is about to begin on the long-awaited replacement of the Smith Point Bridge, while repair crews will soon be on site strengthening the existing span with the goal of restoring two-way traffic by Memorial Day weekend.
Suffolk Legislator Jim Mazzarella said weak spots beneath the roadway will be shored up in what he called a practical fix that will help get the bridge ready for the busy summer season.
“We couldn’t be happier” that the contractor and the county Department of Public Works found a solution that is “fairly simple enough that it’s not going to take a lot of time to complete,” Mazzarella noted.
The current bridge, built in 1959, has been limited to one-way traffic for months after structural deterioration was discovered last fall. Mazzarella said the temporary repair work is expected to allow the bridge to reopen to two-way traffic at a 15-ton limit, which will accommodate larger emergency vehicles.
“It’s all about our beachgoers,” he said. “We want to make sure that people have access to their favorite beach.”
At the same time, the county is preparing to launch construction of a new Smith Point span beside the current one. Mazzarella pointed out that recent land clearing near the site was done in advance because of environmental restrictions involving the endangered northern long-eared bat.
The new fixed bridge, expected to cost nearly $150 million, will replace the aging drawbridge and is designed to improve both traffic flow and marine clearance. Plans call for an 1,812-foot span, a protected pedestrian and bicycle path, and a height of more than 55 feet above the water so boats can pass underneath without stopping traffic. The bridge is expected to have a 75-year service life.
Mazzarella said drivers should still be able to use the existing bridge during construction, which he estimated will take roughly two to two-and-a-half years. He said the county has already appropriated funding and is moving additional money to keep the project on track.
Further east, the legislator said work is also moving ahead on a new bathing pavilion at Cupsogue Beach County Park in Westhampton Beach, which is also expected to be ready for beach season. Beach goers had to endure temporary facilities for more than a decade after the old pavilion burned down.