OLIVE >> Traffic on the bridge atop the Reservoir Road weir that divides the Ashokan Reservoir’s east and west basins is down to one lane for the duration of a monthslong repair project.
The single-lane setup, with traffic being controlled by temporary signals at opposite ends of the bridge, began Wednesday and is expected to last into the fall.
Repairs to the weir, which is part of the original reservoir dam structure completed 101 years ago, are expected to cost between $500,000 and $1 million, according to the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, which operates the reservoir
“The concrete arches have been prone to spalling because of a century of freezing and thawing,” said department spokesman Adam Bosch. “So this summer’s work will largely focus on concrete rehab work to the arches.”
Engineers advised the city department to reduce the weight limit on the span to 12 tons during the repair project, but the department has opted to maintain a 16-ton limit to accommodate school buses and municipal vehicles.
“The 12-ton limit may have affected school buses and larger plows,” Bosch said. “Reducing to one lane and keeping it at 16 tons ensures they can use the bridge.”
Information about the number of vehicles that use the bridge was not immediately available, but state Department of Transportation figures show an average of 661 vehicles per day use state Route 28A on the south side of the weir, at the intersection with Reservoir Road, while an average of 2,069 vehicles per day use Reservoir Road north of the weir.
New York City officials expect to carry out a complete overhaul of their bridge in about 10 years but have not determined a cost for that project.
“The bridge is due to be replaced in the early to mid-2020s,” Bosch said. “The replacement has not been designed yet, so its too early to talk about design changes or costs.”
He noted, though, that the city has “made a commitment to ensure it is wide enough for fishermen and for cyclists to connect from the paths atop the dam and dikes to the proposed rail trail.”
