by David Flint
A crew from Bette & Cring Construction Group of Latham started work on Monday on replacing the Garfield Road bridge that crosses Black Brook in the southwestern corner of Stephentown. The bridge is located at the intersection with the lower end of Gentile Road. Access to East Nassau from Stephentown will entail lengthy detours for about three months.
[private]According to Stephentown Fire Department Assistant Chief-EMS Rik McClave, the already existing mutual aid plan with the Tsatsawassa Fire Company for all calls has been augmented with the addition of Hoags Corners Ambulance for all EMS calls and Hoags Corners Fire for all fire calls on Garfield Road and Woodward Road west of the construction site. Stephentown will continue to respond to the area. This plan will remain in effect until the road re-opens.
County Engineer Wayne Bonesteel said that the entire bridge will be replaced with a new one with galvanized steel girders and a concrete deck. The schedule calls for completion by September 14, but if the weather cooperates and everything else goes well his aim is to try to get the road re-opened by Labor Day.
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