Rehabilitation work is getting underway for two historic lift bridges over the Erie Canal in Monroe County.
It’s a $16.3 million project that state officials say will rehab two of the region’s most iconic lift bridges, the Union Street Bridge in Spencerport and the Main Street Bridge in Fairport.
The Route 259 - Union Street Bridge in Spencerport will close to all vehicular and pedestrian traffic on Tuesday. A posted detour will be in place guiding drivers, using West Ridge and Manitou Roads and Route 31.
Pedestrians can use the adjacent Martha Street canal bridge crossing and access to the Erie Canal Trailway will be maintained throughout the project.
The Route 250 – Main Street bridge in Fairport is scheduled to close to traffic on September 4th. Both bridges are scheduled to re-open late next year.
Both bridges were built in 1914 and officials say the repairs will allow all legal vehicle loads to travel over the bridges.
The repairs include installing new flooring systems and updates to the lifting mechanisms The alignments and profiles of the bridges will not change, but the southern approach to the Route 259 lift bridge in Spencerport will be re-aligned to improve sight distance for vehicular traffic.
Access to businesses near the bridges will be maintained throughout the project. Canal boat project will not be impacted.
The project cost is being shared by the New York State Department of Transportation and the NYS Canal Corporation.
