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Engineers cite buried utilities, skewed rail alignment and historic site as reasons temporary bridge isn't possible
Summary
County designers said a unique buried utility corridor, the bridge's framing and a historic gravesite near the north side prevent a temporary or staged bridge option; that leaves a full detour as the only feasible approach, the consultants said.
Suffolk County's design team told residents that several site‑specific constraints rule out using a temporary bridge or staging construction with traffic maintained on the structure.
Gannett Fleming project manager Bill DeGary described a buried utility corridor that runs across the site—National Grid gas main and a Hampton Bays Water District line—which the team said cannot be disturbed and must remain in service throughout construction. DeGary said those utilities occupy both northwest and southeast quadrants of the site and leave no room for temporary bridge foundations or for the roadway realignment needed to install a temporary span.
DeGary also explained that the existing bridge's framing—two continuous girders with deep floor beams—means removing a steel member would make the bridge unable to carry traffic. The railroad's sharp skew and the staggered pier layout further constrain where temporary supports could be placed. The team added that a historic gravesite (the Reverend Paul Cuffee site) lies roughly 300 feet from the east abutment and the county will not work near or disturb it.
For those reasons — buried critical utilities, unusual bridge framing and proximity to a historic resource — consultants said the replacement must involve a temporary full closure and detour for the bridge removal and installation phases.
