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The two overpasses are located in Mount Vernon and have been cited as unsafe by the New York Department of Transportation because of structural concerns related to age, according to the city's mayor, Shawyn Patterson-Howard, who has ordered them both to be immediately closed on Wednesday, Jan. 11.
The overpasses are located on:
- South Fulton Avenue between East Third Street and Beekman Avenue;
- East Third Street between Langdon Avenue and Hartford Avenue.
Because of how much the two overpasses are used by commuters in the city, Patterson-Howard said the closures would be necessary to protect the public.
"We know this is a heavily trafficked route for private and commercial vehicles and the planned detours will cause some inconvenience, but based on the state’s structural reports, we cannot take the risk of road failure under the continued passage of overweight vehicles," she said, describing the state of the structures as "legacy problems."
"I cannot consciously ignore these dangers as they continue to emerge much to our collective exasperation," she added.
Mount Vernon officials said that detour routes would be posted on the city's website and social media pages to minimize confusion for drivers and those who ride buses.
The city's Public Works Commissioner, Damani Bush, said that fixing the aging structures would be no easy task.
"There is no easy solution to replacing century-old underground supports on the remnants of a 1912 structure. Still, we are working closely with the NYS Department of Transportation to complete the repairs necessary to deactivate the associated red flag conditions and are researching all available channels for funding to finance the repairs," Bush said.
Bush also said the preservation of the repairs made on the overpasses would be added to the city's capital and infrastructure plans in the future.
It is not yet clear how long the roadways will be closed.
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