Bridge work getting $100K from reserve fund

The town will use $100,000 from its highway repair reserve account to help pay for replacing the bridge that carries Mink Hollow Road over the Little Beaver Kill.

The work is planned for next year. The Town Board expects the cost of the project to be no more than $600,000, and said funding will be sought from both the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and New York state.

“We’re optimistic that we’ll get some funding from the DEP because they want the bridge built bigger, just like [on] VanHoagland Road where we built the bridge 30 feet bigger,” said town Supervisor Bill McKenna.

McKenna said a state grant also will be sought but could result in the project costing more.

“They are projecting the cost could be $900,000, but we would need to build it a certain way to get their grants,” he said. “Of course, if they want to give us $900,000, we’ll build it their way.”

McKenna said debris that resulted from heavy rain two weeks ago dislodged supporting jacks that had been placed under the bridge.

“There was a big log jam,” he said. “They did finally get that all cleared up ... but the jacks are all out.”

The bridge is listed by the state Department of Transportation as being built in 1920 and considered to be functionally obsolete.

If the bridge were to fail, there would be no way for people who live north of the Little Beaverkill on Mink Hollow and VanHoagland roads to drive out. The road connects with state Route 212 about 1.1 miles south of the bridge.

McKenna said the bridge’s weight limit is expected to be reduced from 15 tons to 8 tons.