ALONG THE DELAWARE — We may be still in the throes of a pandemic and an economic crisis, but the bridges will get fixed.

That’s the word from the New York State Department of Transportation (NYS DOT), which oversees the five northern bridges over the Delaware River that connect New York to Pennsylvania. 

“We’re still on schedule,” said Scott Cook, public information specialist for Region 9 of NYS DOT. 

Cochecton-Damascus: The New York-Pennsylvania Joint Bridge Commission approved $4.9 million to rehabilitate the nearly 70-year-old bridge, reported Laurie Ramie, executive director of the Upper Delaware Council, in a statement. 

Bidding is open now, and “Construction should begin in the fall,” said Cook. Staged construction is planned, with temporary signals to control traffic. “We’re expecting to close the Cochecton fishing access site during construction,” but an alternate way to the river with temporary parking will be well marked. The parking lot at Damascus will be maintained. 

Construction should finish in 2021.

Callicoon-Damascus: BridgeReports.com has marked its condition as “poor” in 2018. The bridge, built in 1961, has numerous serious problems, according to the 2020 Joint Bridge Commission inspection: large spalled areas, exposed or missing temperature rebar, deteriorating grates, cracked, broken and potholed pavement. Some repairs had been completed, including the guide rail and the damaged bearing area on Pier 1. 

$61,000 is budgeted for maintenance per the annual report, and the total repair project is estimated at $10.7 million, according to NYS DOT’s website.

The New York DOT site lists the project as “in development.” The Upper Delaware Council said recently in a statement that “NYS DOT is currently negotiating with a consultant to handle the design work for rehabilitation of this bridge to include deck replacement, with 2022 targeted to sign a contract.”