Hundreds of people were on hand Friday morning for the ribbon cutting marking the reopening of the State Route 250 lift bridge over the Erie Canal in the Village of Fairport.
The $9 million project was delayed due to supply chain and fabrication issues, but on Friday, nearly two years later, the bridge reopened to traffic.
Village of Fairport Mayor Julie Domaratz said the bridge and the historic Erie Canal are considered by many to be the heart of the village.
“This restoration of a one of a kind, set of components and machinery, unique to this historic bridge ensures that future generations will be able to experience the Fairport lift bridge, the Erie Canal, for decades to come, " Domaratz told the crowd in referring to the bridge that was built in 1914.
Domaratz said the lift bridge work continued for 22 months, despite delays and the coronavirus pandemic.
The New York State Department of Transportation partnered with the State Canal Corporation on the project, and DOT Chief of Staff Todd Westhuis said the iconic bridge is not only 114 years old, it's incredibly unique.
``If you look at that bridge, don't think about it as a bridge alone, it's a very complex machine," Westhuis said.
The Route 31 truss bridge in Pittsford also reopened on Friday. That bridge closed to traffic in February 2021 for reconstruction work. It was built in 1973 and serves as one of two canal bridges providing access into the village's business district.
