WEST SENECA, N.Y. (WKBW) — A nearly century old bridge in West Seneca is set to close for repairs, with federal bridge records listing the structure in poor condition and classifying it as scour critical with unstable foundations.
The Leydecker Road bridge over Cazenovia Creek is scheduled to close beginning Sept. 28 while crews perform substructure repairs.
The bridge was built in 1934 and carries more than 1,100 vehicles a day, according to federal bridge data.
The National Bridge Inventory rates the bridge a 4, which corresponds to a poor condition rating.
Federal records also classify the bridge as “scour critical” and list its foundations as unstable.
Scour can occur when moving water erodes soil and sediment around a bridge's foundations, potentially affecting the support structure.
While drivers may primarily notice the roadway and surface of the bridge, Erie County officials say much of the work involves the parts of the bridge that are not visible.
Erie County Director of Public Works William Geary said the county has about 290 bridges that span more than 20 feet.
"We want those to last 50 plus years, so a lot of the work you're starting to see right now is substructure work," Geary said. "It's to preserve those bridges for another 20 years plus," he said.
WATCH: Nearly century-old "unstable" West Seneca bridge to close for repairs
Geary said bridge ratings are an important part of determining which structures receive work.
"We prioritize those bridges based on that rating," he said.
But the condition of the roadway itself does not tell the entire story.
"The bridge ratings are like the surface deck and what you can see, but there's a lot below that deck that makes a bridge," Geary said.
The Leydecker Road bridge is expected to remain closed while crews complete the substructure work.
Geary said the timing of the project depends in part on weather and temperatures needed to complete concrete work.
The county expects the work to continue until conditions no longer allow the concrete work to be completed, with crews potentially finishing the project in spring.
"Then we shouldn't really have to touch that bridge," Geary said.
Drivers should follow posted detours during the closure.
