BRIGHTON, N.Y. – The two bridges that carry Interstate 590 over Monroe Avenue in Brighton appear to be crumbling, and a number of people who travel over and under them every day have reached out to News10NBC Investigative Reporter Jennifer Lewke wondering whether they are still safe.

News10NBC first started reporting on the worries of drivers, bikers, and walkers about these bridges back in 2018.

“I certainly don’t want concrete falling on my car or having to swerve around it and get involved in an accident,” said Mark Heeks at the time. He lived near the bridges, and Rachel Popowich worked nearby.

“I’d rather just have them fix it as quickly as possible, I’d rather have no concrete falling than any,” Popowich told News10NBC.

For years, DOT has told News10NBC the issues were cosmetic, not structural. But the bridges, built in 1966, continue to deteriorate. Big sections of concrete are missing, rebar is exposed in dozens of areas and some of the support beams seem rusted out. News10NBC did some digging and found that both have been given a structural status of “poor” according to state inspection records.

The State Department of Transportation tells News10NBC that the bridges are inspected annually and while they remain safe for travel at this point, “a planned project to replace the bridges is in the final design stages and tentatively scheduled to begin early next year,” according to Glenn Blain, a spokesman for NYSDOT.

The $55 million project will replace the two bridges that carry 590 over Monroe Avenue and rehabilitate the 590 bridge over Allens Creek Road in the same area.

There are about 700 bridges in Monroe County, they are all required to be inspected at least once every two years. About 90 of the bridges in this county need repair or corrective action. If the state believes they could be dangerous, it might reduce the weight limit on a bridge, close a lane, or post a detour until repairs can be made.

If you want to see the inspection records for the bridges you travel over or under every day, click here: https://www.dot.ny.gov/main/bridgedata

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