Columbia County announced that County Route 7 in the town of Gallatin has been closed and detours are in place as contractors begin demolition and foundation work on the bridge replacement project.

The county's engineering staff said soldier piles have been installed and demolition of the existing structure is underway, with stream access restricted by a New York State permit that bars work in the water until June 15 because the stream is a trout spawning area. Staff estimated the new bridge construction is expected to be completed by Thanksgiving; a temporary bridge will be installed later this month and the temporary structure likely decommissioned during the winter, with final restoration taking place in spring.

The county reported that it received seven bids for the County Route 7 over Punzett Creek project; the lowest apparent bidder is Upstate Civil at just under $950,000, which county staff said is within the project budget. Staff said they are performing additional due diligence on Upstate Civil — a relatively new firm whose principals formerly worked for a larger contractor — and that New York State DOT review will be part of the approval process. Staff requested a special meeting prior to the June committee meeting to consider formally awarding the contract if approvals are satisfactory.

Engineering staff also said construction on related bridge projects continues: County Route 7 in Gallatin has active work to reduce property damage from traffic ignoring closures, and construction fencing and barrels have been installed to discourage motorists from driving past barriers onto private property.

Separately, the county expects delivery of bearing pads and steel girders in July and indicated the contractor is ahead on some long-lead items. For other multi-year projects discussed by staff, such as the Stuyvesant Falls reconstruction, New York State funding adjustments and schedule changes now push anticipated work start dates farther into the future: one corridor now is expected to begin construction in 2026 and Stuyvesant Falls work may be delayed to about 2029, pending New York State Section 106 and consultant reviews.

Discussion and next steps: staff emphasized the need to coordinate with New York State DOT on permitting and scheduling; they asked supervisors to consider a special meeting to act on the lowest responsive bid once state approvals and vetting are complete. No formal contract award was announced during the meeting; staff described the bid evaluation and state clearance steps as ongoing.