Yates County committee: adding a temporary bridge could push Ferguson Corners project to 2028

The Yates County Public Works Committee met May 11 to consider whether to require a temporary access bridge as part of the Ferguson Corners Road Bridge rehabilitation. Committee Chair Sarah Purdy told members "This project is covered 95% by the Bridge NY funding program and 5% by the county," but said it remained unclear whether Bridge NY would pay temporary bridge costs.

Highway Superintendent Doug Rapalee told the committee the rehabilitation as designed would take about three months without a temporary bridge, but "if they add the temporary bridge, they’ll be looking at least a 4-month duration" because foundations and erection would add time and would require later disassembly. When asked whether adding a temporary bridge could force the county to postpone work until 2028, Rapalee replied yes, citing federal right-of-way processes and additional design and review work even if adjacent property owners cooperate.

The county has already submitted design work for the no-temporary-bridge approach and received state comments; Rapalee said the state was reviewing the current submittal and the county hoped to generate contractual documents shortly if the committee proceeded without a temporary structure. After debate, the committee initially recorded a 3–2 vote in favor of continuing "as designed," but staff later notified members that committee bylaws require four affirmative votes of the full six-member committee to proceed and the project will not move forward "as designed" at this time.