The Flower Hill Board of Trustees announced the dates for the replacement of the Webster Avenue Bridge at their Nov. 4 meeting.
The town of North Hempstead and the Long Island Rail Road maintain the bridge. The announcement came after Flower Hill Mayor Randall Rosenbaum, Village Administrator Marla Wolfson, and Superintendent of Highways Richard Falcones met with Plandome Heights Mayor Kenneth Riscica and members of the LIRR.
“Starting in December, they are going to start removing trees on the side of the road, mostly in Plandome Heights, to get ready for the stabilization,” Rosenbaum said during the meeting “It looks like in January 2025, they are going to close the bridge itself for all the work that has to happen,” he added.
The project is estimated to take nine months, beginning in January 2025. While board members overwhelmingly agreed on the need for repairs, some voiced concerns about transportation issues due to the construction.
“One of the big problems is when they close Plandome Road, it’s really the only viable way to get around the area,” Trustee AJ Smith said. Smith pointed out that traffic swells even when the road is closed for an hour or two and expressed worry over how citizens can get around the area when the bridge is closed for repair and replacement.
Constructed in 1898, the bridge is one of the oldest on Long Island. Rosenbaum mentioned how shortcomings have built up in the bridge’s sightline and approach due to its age or the part of the bridge that carries traffic from the land to the central part. Rosenbaum contended that the bridge fails to live up to modern code within these areas.
In 2022, Newsday reported it was one of nine Long Island bridges to receive a “poor” rating from the state Department of Transportation. The rating does not necessarily mean that a bridge is in imminent danger of collapsing or is unsafe for passengers. However, it does signify that a bridge may need more frequent monitoring and postings for weight limits, maintenance and repair. In extreme cases of deterioration, replacement is also an option, according to the DOT.
“They have a lot of work ahead of them to make it a modern bridge. But it will be quieter, safer and with an improved sightline,” Rosenbaum added.
The next meeting of the board is Monday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m.
