Maintaining L.I. bridges takes almost constant work
Repairs on the Robert Moses causeway and bridge are DOT projects overseen by Brett Garver, engineer in charge.
Newsday photo by Alan Raia
The bridges of Robert Moses Causeway in Babylon are still under construction and residents still have to look at all those barges in the water. What’s going on and when will the work finally be completed?
--Lawrence Sienkiewicz, West Islip
Construction on the causeway’s three bridges will be completed by year’s end, but Long Islanders should never expect the spans to remain project-free for long.
“Saltwater is a big killer of bridges,” said New York State Department of Transportation spokeswoman Eileen Peters. “We’ve had a number of projects there in recent years, and in all likelihood we’ll continue to have projects. Over-water bridges require constant maintenance.”
According to Peters, the causeway’s current projects include a replacement of the electronic components of the drawbridge, which was built in 1951 and renovated in 1994.
At Captree Bridge, which is the causeway’s northern-most span, workers are applying anti-corrosion paint and replacing jacket tiles, which help to reinforce its concrete foundations.
Meanwhile, the Fire Island Inlet Bridge recently had worn bearings replaced on its underside.
All ongoing projects should be completed by 2009, she said. There will be no closures between peak travel hours and one lane will always be open in each direction.
“It’s always better to be proactive than reactive,” Peters said. “Nobody wants a tragedy.”
Peters also said these projects most likely will be the last renovations on the causeway’s bridges - at least for a year or two. “There will be periods when all is well, but people should be prepared to see some kind of work whenever they drive out there,” she said.
