Smith Point beach goers are feeling better about their bridge after County Executive Ed Romaine announced that the span connecting the park with the mainland will be repaired, and the construction of a long-awaited replacement will be expedited on an emergency basis.
Appearing at the foot of the William Floyd Parkway bridge with local officials and emergency managers, Romaine said a previous three-ton restriction will be raised to 15 tons, allowing fire apparatus, campers, and heavier vehicles to access the park. Traffic will be limited to one lane, with temporary signals and cones managing the flow.
“This is a lesson in what happens when you defer maintenance and repairs to county facilities,” Romaine said, pointing out that his predecessor, Steve Bellone, had promised that a new bridge would be in place by 2024. “We will do whatever it takes to keep the bridge open and build the new bridge as soon as possible.”
The announcement came as a relief to Mastic Beach Fire Commissioner Bill Biondi, who had been worried about emergency vehicles accessing the park. “This will allow us to respond to motor vehicle accidents, fires, and other emergencies with the proper equipment,” he said.
“Smith Point is the busiest park in the county, offering beautiful beaches, fishing, camping, and everything else that people love about Long Island,” said Legislator Jim Mazzarella. “It is vitally important that we keep this bridge open.”
Also attending the announcement was Senator Dean Murray, who said he was thankful for the cooperation between the state Department of Transportation and the county to keep the bridge open. “Everyone is working together to make sure the bridge is safe.”
Following a routine inspection, the DOT found that steel embedded in the concrete structure had deteriorated and set the lower weight restriction. By funneling traffic to the middle of the bridge, Mazzarella noted, the span will be able to support vehicles up to 30,000 pounds. The new traffic-light system will prevent heavier vehicles from occupying both lanes at the same time, he pointed out.