Major bridge repairs slated for Loop Parkway

Kaminsky, Ford working to minimize project's impact

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State Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky and Nassau County Legislator Denise Ford are working to minimize the impact that major bridge projects on the Loop Parkway and in Island Park could have on drivers beginning next year.

The state Department of Transportation announced plans earlier this year for an $11.5 million project on two drawbridges, one on the Loop Parkway, over Long Creek, and the other on the Meadowbrook State Parkway, over Sloop Channel.

The work on the 80-year-old Loop drawbridge, the DOT said, will include major mechanical and structural replacements to help ensure its longevity and eliminate future operational issues.

Construction is expected to begin next spring and finish in late 2017. But with a Nassau County project to replace the Barnum Island Bridge in Island Park also set to begin late next year, there are some concerns that the projects could overlap — and cause headaches for emergency responders and motorists.

Both Kaminsky and Ford emphasized that community input meetings would be held before work on the projects begins, and the DOT said it would work with Nassau County officials to coordinate construction schedules.

“What we’ve been told is that the Loop bridge is in desperate need of repair and it needs to happen sooner rather than later,” Kaminsky said. “We’ve been told that there will be times when it needs to be shut down both ways. The question is how often does that have to happen? It’s our goal to limit that as much as possible and make sure that there’s plenty of notice for the impacted communities and first responders.”

He added, “I want to make sure that we don’t even schedule something like that until there is public notice, and first responders and transportation officials are satisfied there are alternative routes that are ideal.”

The Loop, one of three routes off the barrier island, has undergone extensive repairs over the past five years that have necessitated occasional bridge closures and created delays, often to the chagrin of many residents. With an average of 30,000 using the bridge daily, it is the busiest on Long Island, according to the state.

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