Unfinished bridge, ‘deadly detour’ causing safety concerns for N.Y. motorists

Updated Sep 1, 2018
Still from News 10 video.Still from News 10 video.

A multi-million dollar bridge in West Berne, New York, was never finished and remains closed, causing frustration and safety concerns for motorists who have to use what they refer to as a deadly detour along Bradt Hollow Rd. and across Fox Creek, News 10 reports.

In a 2015 report, the Capital District Transportation Committee estimated the bridge replacement to cost $2 million, but it was never finished. One motorist who travels the detour often, Kim Shoemaker, told the news agency that she believes the bridge wasn’t finished because the river bank was collapsing. She says the detour’s intersection at County Route 1 and Route 443 wasn’t designed for the traffic caused by the detour.

“Where it comes out, it’s a bit of a turn and a hill. It’s not safe because you can’t see,” she said, according to the news agency, adding that a deadly accident happened there in July 2018.

The project is the responsibility of the county, and according to the news outlet, the Department of Public Works Commissioner said, “A crack that appeared on the approach did not allow us to open the bridge on schedule. Construction to repair the crack will begin immediately following Labor Day and should be complete before the end of the year.”