The Bridge will never open and will be demolished

[ITS ABOUT TIME]

As stated in the press republican today the bridge will be never reopen see the link:

http://www.pressrepublican.com/homepage/local...

share your thoughts!

[you neighbor]

I think by the time they get a ferry or what ever in place that some of our businesses on both side of the lake that we have relied on for years will have already collasped. Getting back and forth at the present time . although do able.. at least for those that work 1st shift . Is still a burden with added travel and gas prices rising. My husband can take the Essex ferry to work but has to come home through Whitehall. and it is a 3 hour trip at night.
And it has to be a real problem for those who need to get to Hospital in Vermont. We had to take a room for 2 nights for my recent hospital appointment.. If your in need of a good place to sleep Hotel 6 is great. Not far from FAHC .. Getting perscriptions on the otherside of the lake poses a problem.. And I suspect their are many ..like myself that are canceling appointments for lack of transportation.
And the weather . that at the moment has been fairly nice .. will be turning cold soon. And the added milage on those roads when the snow and ice come .. Ain't gonna be fun for any of us.. Thank goodness they made the ferries free , But, you've got to know ..we're paying for them with our tax dollars.

[seriously folks]

I said it once and I'll say it again. If it's not about the money...then it's about the money. They want the Obama money...some stimulus cash. You won't see a ferry or another bridge for YEARS! Would the last one in Port Henry please turn out the lights.

[Just My Opinion]

It is a complete and utter OUTRAGE to think that just a few weeks ago, there were people driving their cars, trucks, and tractors across a bridge that apparently could collapse at any moment! Fortunately, a disaster has been averted.

Weren't the steelworkers just completing a ONE MILLION DOLLAR repair to the bridge when it was closed in October? What a complete WASTE OF MONEY!

Who is responsible for this? Who is\was in charge? Who approved a $1,000,000 repair to this now condemned bridge? It is unbelievable that this bridge could be on the cusp of collapse and nobody knew until yesterday?

The person responsible obviously doesn't have the competencies required for the position. Nor has this person the fortitude to come forward and accept responsibility for a terrible mistake.

Does this not borderline on the criminal? Think of the lives that were at risk, the money wasted, and the hardships placed upon us?

Those responsible ought to be prosecuted, ought to be jailed. At the very least, ought to be exposed. Just my opinion....

[Mee 2]

Thanks for putting all my thoughts into words.It iscriminal...someone needs to be held accountable.

[Smokey Stover]

Well, this is a damnable piece of news, BUT, DID anyone of US really expect otherwise?!?!
We all KNOW it will take two or more years to demolish and replace this bridge, at the best possible speed!
So, I suggest we all do this:
Many places in and around Port Henry / Moriah have great views of the bridge. We should be arranging a bridge-demolition festival, selling ringside seats to see a piece of history removed.
It would be great if NY & VT decided to use explosive demolition to drop the bridge into the water then retrieve it with barges.
We could organize cold-weather barbeques, outdoor gatherings to watch AND be sure to get plenty of closeup high-definition film to sell as stock footage, for documentaries and to sell to collectors on DVDs.
I also think a lot of money could be made by retrieving all the steel and selling small pieces via the internet, perhaps Ebay!
The money raised could be used to beautify Port Henry and Moriah!

Of course, if the debris should fall on Champ we could then have the NY & VT Governors and all their DOT minions charged with attacking an endagered and protected 'Champ!'

Notary Sojac

[Cobalticus]

from what I have read, isn't there a class action lawsuit in the works against the state agency responsible for maintaining the bridge?

i find it astounding that a bridge that was cleared for use earlier in the summer is now condemned. How many thousands of cars, trucks and buses cross that bridge between June 1st and October 16th? Amazing.

[spazztastic]

good, shut it down for good and dont build a new one, maybe this area will turn to dust and all of it's pathetic losers will rot

[your neighbor]

spazztastic wrote:

good, shut it down for good and dont build a new one, maybe this area will turn to dust and all of it's pathetic losers will rot

Let's see you obviously don't use the bridge. And if it isn't replaced .. then those folks that do work for a living. May find jobs over here haa haa ...No jobs.. that pay a living wage.. So. they just may pack it up and move where there are jobs.. Meaning you will be left in an area that because Albany ..considers you to be a waste of time an energy won't even be able to support a grocery store..As the duct tape and wishful thinking that have been used in the past haven't worked..The taxes keep going up as if we were a thriving metrpolis.. And we have nothing much to show for it.. With all the bleeding hearts around here that want to declare the falling down buildings as historic value . making it impossible to do any repairs that would render the building feasible for human occupancy. In today high priced economy. And Face it ..you can't turn them all into museums. So, they sit.. neglected and delapidated.. Drawing rats. This is the price we pay for having the People in Albany .. Declaring our land a Adirondack Park and not allowing businesses or even the people who own and pay taxes on the land to develop it..

[bridge plate collector]

now does anyone want to buy my commerative bridge plate?

[nhr]

That bridge was in bad shape over twenty years ago, ask anyone who worked on it then. The State is surprised now, that it started to deteriorate more rapidly? My question is how did this surprise them? What did they think it would get better instead of worse? Makes me wonder how safe other bridges in the state are. Take a look under some of them on i87. Not pretty.

[matt]

I am sure all these bridge problems must be pres. Bush's fault! People were so quick to jump all over him when something went wrong but nobody wants to call Obama out. He spent so much money my son's son will prolly be paying it back and look at what we get a new paved northway which was not need only in a few spots not 45 miles of it, and also a new paved westport flats. That bridge was in bad shape for 15 years and the NYSDOT up here has told the state for years it needed to be fixed but nobody wanted to deal with it

[nuts]

what about the 1 million dollar repairs to the bridge last year. guess we bend over and take it while the head of transportation doesnt even lose his job. probably gets a raise. by the way who is the head of transportation?

[your neighbor]

Here's some food for thought...
Mark Cornwell has spent a good deal of his career trying to convince highway crews that there are better ways to keep things safe and reduce how much salt is dumped on roads and sidewalks:

"Salt basically damages just about everything it comes in contact with. Salt moves through concrete and attacks structural steel, bridges, roads, parking structures; it eats the mortar out of bricks and foundations. It damages limestone, you know, just on and on and on."

So, even though salt is cheap, the damage it does costs a lot. It's a hidden cost that's seldom calculated. Imagine the cost of having to replace a bridge five years early because the structure is weakened by salt. And then there are your direct costs: trying to keep salt washed off your vehicle, and still seeing rust attack your car.

Cornwell says there are some cities and road commissioners working to reduce the amount of salt spread on the roads. But in most places, the political pressure to get the salt trucks out early, and laying it on thick to keep drivers happy, outweighs any concerns about trying to reduce the salt:

"I'm sure the public expects full attention to snow and ice. And they have absolutely no understanding, however, of what it costs to provide that."

Nobody thought a lot about the damage salt was causing until the last couple of decades. In a few places, the people responsible for keeping the roads and walkways safe have been trying to reduce the amount of salt they use and still keep public safety tops on the list of concerns:

[Cobalticus]

it's not just the salt although that is a HUGE factor, it's what happens after the salt corrodes holes in the roadbeds, especiallu concrete. Water gets into the cracks and then freezes, displacing the concrete. It's a condition known as spalling. For a good example of spalling, travel US Route 9 between the Caza Turn Road and the Dump Road in North Hudson... spalling opened up the seams in the concrete.

[your neighbor]

I'm betting 80 years ago they sanded instead of salt.. But , it struck me when looking at the bridge that salt probably played a big part in it's distruction. Will check out that road. haven't been out that way in awhile. Thanks.

[megabucks to tax payers]

view the press of republican today states that it will take 22 monthes to build a new bridge and will cost:$67 million dollars

http://www.pressrepublican.com/midday/local_s...

I am BETTING they will NOT rebuild a new bridge because of the price.

[no bridge]

megabucks to tax payers wrote:

view the press of republican today states that it will take 22 monthes to build a new bridge and will cost:$67 million dollars
http://www.pressrepublican.com/midday/local_s...
I am BETTING they will NOT rebuild a new bridge because of the price.

you are correct -- they are feeding everyone just a little at a time to swallow---- just as soon as the ferry is down here it will go from temporary to permanent-- the only place you will see a new bridge will be cumberland head--

[seriously folks]

You idiots just don't get it! Now they have the amount of money stated to the public. Now, next step, get it from the stimulus. It's a crisis after all. To get the bridge and avoid more crisis, gotta have the money. ONCE AGAIN, pay attention and read..."if it's not about the money then it's about the money". 67 million is cheap. When has the original estimate ever been correct. I bet you simpletons that it will cost you taxpayers over 100 mil by the time the new bridge is up and running. You will definitely get a new bridge because there is too much money at stake for a few people. Just follow the money trail..if it's not about the money then it's about the money. Face the fact and raise hell about it!

[oh brother]

Why do people ask where the money went...someones nice vacation house, house boat for going under the bridge, (hope it falls on them), expensive cars, etc...everything you don't have and now certainly can't afford..