The replacement of Granville’s Church Street Bridge has been the definition of “slow but steady.”
After being delayed throughout the summer and fall of last year because of the required work of Verizon and New York State Electric and Gas, trouble acquiring resources and materials during the pandemic and inclement weather, Washington County project manager Tim Zinn was hopeful the remainder of the “to-do” list will be completed by Memorial Day.
However, on March 1, Zinn said a specific item needed has been backordered since the project was first approved for construction in the spring and summer of 2021.
“It looks like our hopes to have the Church Street Bridge completed by Memorial Day won’t come to fruition,” Zinn said. “The water line pipe that hangs off the bridge is backordered. It’s looking like that won’t be coming in until June.”
Zinn said he is confident the county will not spend its full budget, stating there will likely be “a few hundred thousand dollars” left over.
The project, originally budgeted at $4.78 million, was approved by the Washington County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 18. State funding (the county pays up front and gets reimbursed by the state) was received by the county in the amount of $122,229, which Zinn said will be applied toward construction inspection.
County budget committee chair Brian Campbell said the county is paying 5% of the Marchiselli (state) funding up front and will be paid back upon completion. The federal government is paying 80% while the state will cover the remaining 15% and reimburse the county.
“I think it’s all budgetary. I think everything is in that number to get it completed,” Campbell said. “I drove over it, it looks like it’s good.”
“There’s definitely some work to do that is not completed yet,” said Granville supervisor Matt Hicks.
Items that were described as “small things” to accomplish include laying top course asphalt across the bridge, hooking up the previously mentioned water line, completing the sidewalks and staining the precast pillars.
“At this point, it’s at the mercy of the water line. They have hopes of getting there in April… I’m hoping by Memorial Day we have full completion there,” Zinn said. “I’m certainly satisfied with the work done with it so far.”
The bridge was closed for transportation last August and reopened to traffic just before Christmas.
Zinn said there will be at least one more time when the bridge will have to be closed, whether it’s both lanes or single-lane traffic only due to the placement of the top course asphalt.
“We’re going to try to keep that a minimum,” he said. “The less traffic we have while we’re working, the quicker we can get it done… we’re hopeful to have this wrapped up to get out of everyone’s hair in the village.”
Speaking of the village, Hicks said he has been in contact with the village about potentially purchasing a 50-foot strip of land that is currently owned by Washington County that extends from the Church Street bridge to the rail trail. Hicks said the incentive would be public access to the Mettowee River.
“I don’t anticipate proposing anything to the county until the summertime,” Hicks said.