Construction expected to begin in 2019

By Hayleigh Gowans

Staff Writer

A handful of residents gathered on Nov. 2 at East Syracuse Minoa High School to learn more about a bridge replacement project that will take place on Fremont Road in 2019.

The meeting, put on by the Onondaga County Department of Transportation, offered information to residents, including existing bridge conditions, plans for a new bridge and plans for how the construction schedule will detour traffic.

This bridge is located on Fremont Road north of Kirkville Road next to East Syracuse Minoa High School. According to documents obtained at the meeting, the bridge was originally built in 1924 as a 37-foot long single-span steel bridge and was widened in 1958 and asphalt on it was replaced in 2002. After an inspection from the New York State DOT, the bridge was given a rating of 4 on a scale of 1 (meaning in danger of structural failure) to 7 (meaning like new conditions).

“The bottom line is, this bridge is in poor condition and needs to be replaced,” said Viktor Makarchuk, a civil engineer for the Onondaga County DOT.

The project is a locally administered federal aid project and is being processed by the Onondaga County Department of Transportation with help from the New York State Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Commission. The cost for the project is a little under $1 million, said Jim Craig, a managing engineer from C&S Engineers, and is expected to be covered through a federal aid fund.

Craig said construction of the project should take a maximum of five months, and will likely begin in early spring and end by August in order to minimize impact on school traffic. The new bridge includes installation of steel H-piles, cast-in-place concrete integral abutments, pre-stressed concrete box beams and a reinforced concrete bridge deck.

Traffic over the bridge will be detoured down Meyers, Schepps Corners and Kirkville roads during the construction. Craig said this was the best solution, based off of a traffic study, because the existing traffic is not heavy and detouring traffic will make the construction time much shorter.

One resident who lived near the project brought up concerns of pedestrians being able to use the bridge, and asked if a sidewalk was being considered. Craig said a sidewalk was not being considered at this time, but comments like that should be make so the county DOT can make decisions with residents needs in mind when creating final plans.

Comments on the project are being accepted by the Onondaga County DOT until Thursday, Nov. 17, and can be sent in writing to Brian J. Donnelly, Commissioner, Dept. of Transportation, 421 Montgomery St., 11th Floor, Syracuse, NY 13202.