AASHTO Journal - NYSDOT Temporary Bridge Helps Reopen Flooded Route

The New York State Department of Transportation and Governor Kathy Hochul (D) recently reopened State Route 28N in the Town of Long Lake following devastating floods that struck Upstate New York in early July.

[Above photo by NYSDOT]

A temporary bridge placed over the Fishing Brook – erected in just three weeks – allowed traffic to safely resume on SR 28N while also eliminating the need for an 80-mile detour.

Initially, NYSDOT said the roadway will be limited to a single lane with alternating flows of traffic controlled by temporary signals before the temporary bridge is moved to a new alignment later this summer, which will allow for two lanes of travel and the construction of a new, permanent bridge.

NYSDOT added that its engineers are expediting the design and construction of the new bridge after the original structure suffered catastrophic damage during the storms, which affected states along a wide swath of the East Coast

“Mother Nature dealt New Yorkers a very harsh blow … but our recovery from the devastating rains and flooding is fully underway and we are making significant progress,” Gov. Hochul said in a statement. “Reopening State Route 28N in Hamilton County reconnects a vital roadway in the North Country for residents while making this area accessible to visitors once again, providing a boost for local businesses and tourism during the remaining summer season.”

From July 9 to July 10, more than eight inches of rain were reported in parts of the Mid-Hudson Region and more than five inches of rain in Ontario County, in the Finger Lakes Region. From July 10 to July 11, parts of the North Country saw several inches of rain in a short period of time, which caused devastating flooding, closing roadways and damaging infrastructure across impacted regions.

State Route 28N was one of many roads across New York that suffered significant damage from the severe weather that impacted the state earlier this month, noted NYSDOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez.

“[We have] worked diligently to get this temporary bridge up and running, restoring connection for the communities between Long Lake and Newcomb … and we will not stop working until the bridge is permanently replaced,” she said.