GRAND ISLAND, N.Y. (WKBW) — A bridge on Grand Island will be replaced sooner than originally planned following a 7 Eyewitness News I-Team investigation.
The Beaver Island State Parkway bridge was the focus of the I-Team's report on the condition of bridges in Erie County.
After the I-Team alerted State Sen. Tim Kennedy, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, to the deteriorating condition of the bridge, he called out the Thruway Authority in a letter to its Executive Director Matthew Driscoll.
Driscoll has since responded to Kennedy's letter, stating the letting of the project would be moved to late 2022 - with construction beginning in spring of 2023. In his response, Driscoll cited the "public's focus on this bridge."
NYSTA Beaver Island State Parkway Bridge Response by Sean Mickey on Scribd
Construction was previously scheduled for 2025.
A spokesperson for the Thruway Authority confirmed to the I-Team that the change in date will also help save costs.
In the letter, Driscoll stated construction would occur in conjunction with projects planned for the North and South Grand Island bridges to "maximize economies of scale."
The Beaver Island bridge replacement is estimated to cost $10 million, bringing total investments to $46 million for all Grand Island bridge construction, according to Driscoll.
In total, the Thruway Authority controls 18 poor status and structurally deficient bridges in Erie County.
