Repair work has resumed on the heavily trafficked Interstate 81 bridge in Binghamton after weeks of work being suspended.
The span of Chenango Street has been sinking since its construction in 2013. The state Department of Transportation is closely monitoring the bridge’s traffic while engineers assess the problem.
Chenango Street was closed to traffic for nine months after unsuccessful attempts to resolve the issue. The street closures are expected to last only three months.
According to DOT, structural tests have shown that the use of sprayed concrete is not suitable for the “bridge upgrade” project.
The agency’s engineers consulted with “national experts” to develop a different approach. The technique being tested is currently using a product called “Speed Crete Red Line”. The company that makes it describes it as “a fast setting cement mortar for concrete and masonry repairs”.
In recent days, new material has been applied to the sides of the bridge’s precast concrete sections.
Workers used jackhammers to break up concrete previously placed on Chenango Street.
DOT is working to set a date for the reopening of streets connecting Binghamton’s North Side neighborhoods.
Repair work on the sunken bridge is expected to cost $3.5 million. There are no revised cost estimates for extending the useful life of the span.
Contact Bob Joseph, WNBF News Correspondent at bob@wnbf.com. For the latest news and development updates, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.
Post time: Dec-05-2022