The Public Workers Committee voted Aug. 5 to authorize a $100,000 contract with Creative Manning Engineering for professional services to design a replacement of a concrete-girder bridge over Sand Creek in the town of Edinburgh and to reallocate funds from the Vial Avenue Bridge project to cover construction in 2026. Staff said the bridge had been slated for engineering in 2027 but a recent New York State Department of Transportation inspection found deterioration of a fascia beam.

The committee action modifies the county’s capital plan to shift funds the committee had programmed for the Vial Avenue Bridge — about $2,000,000 in the budget — to this replacement, and to use the $100,000 consultant contract to complete design this year. “We had identified it for replacement for engineering, I believe, in 2027. Based on a recent bridge inspection report by DOT, we do have… an issue on 1 of the fascia beams,” the staff member said. The staff member added, “there's no cause for concern. There's no safety related issues, but it doesn't move up our time grama.”

Committee members asked about traffic management during construction; the staff member said the project will maintain a single lane of traffic through construction. When asked about the schedule, staff said they are “hoping to get it designed this year for construction next year” and that they would “try to fast track it as best we can.” The staff estimated construction costs “around 1,800,000.0.”

A motion to authorize the consultant contract and the budget reallocation was made and approved by voice vote. The action directs staff to execute the consultant agreement and to reprogram the capital plan so design can begin this year and construction can proceed in 2026.

Next steps: the chair will sign the consultant contract and staff will proceed with design and capital-plan adjustments; the committee did not specify further reporting milestones at the meeting.