Latest Railroad Bridge Improvements Underway

Mayor Kraham Announces Latest Railroad Bridge Improvements Underway

- Portion Of Brandywine Avenue Closed As More Repairs Follow City Report On Poor Railroad Bridge Conditions -

(BINGHAMTON, N.Y.) - Mayor Jared M. Kraham on Wednesday announced work is underway to repair a Brandywine Avenue railroad bridge in poor condition, with severely deteriorated concrete columns, damaged lighting and exposed rebar.

It is the eighth bridge to receive major rehabilitation work by Norfolk Southern since the City released a 2023 inspection report documenting serious problems with local railroad bridges.

Mayor Kraham said: "When I took office, I promised to hold railroad companies accountable for the deplorable conditions of their bridges in Binghamton. Three years after our report put the railroads on notice, most of the bridges in the worst condition have been fixed. This project, which repairs a crumbling bridge on a main thoroughfare, builds on that progress and advances the critical work still left to be done. After decades of inaction and neglect by the railroads, these are the results Binghamton residents deserve."

The work on Brandywine Avenue will fix the nearly 100-year-old bridge owned by Norfolk Southern that crosses the Brandywine just north of Henry Street.

The project includes replacement of the bridges' parapet walls, repairs to the concrete columns, new lighting and fresh paint.

A portion of Brandywine Avenue, between Eldredge Street and Henry Street, will be closed to through traffic during construction. Detours are in place.

Over the last three years, Norfolk Southern has completed major work to the bridges on Glenwood Avenue, Jarvis Street, Front Street and Murray Street. All seven bridges were found to be in "poor" or "severe" condition in the City's 2023 inspection report.

Work on the Brandywine Avenue bridge - rated in the City report as being in "poor" condition - started this week and is expected to finish by early August.

Norfolk Southern has hired Vector Construction to complete the work.

In early 2023, Mayor Kraham announced the City would hire an engineering firm to conduct visual inspections of Binghamton's railroad bridges. The move followed decades of inaction by railroad companies to maintain the privately owned bridges.

The engineering firm, Binghamton-based HUNT-EAS, released a 900-page report following the inspections that found a majority of the bridges to be in poor or severe condition. Nearly half the bridges were found to have at least one "significant structural and/or safety concern that should be investigated and addressed by the Railroad," according to the report.

The City sent copies of the report to the railroad companies, federal regulators, and federal lawmakers, who joined Mayor Kraham in calling on Norfolk Southern to begin repairs.

The report spurred action by Norfolk Southern officials, who provided the City with a detailed plan to repair some of the bridges found to be in the worst condition.

Crews hired by Norfolk Southern completed a rehabilitation of the Glenwood Avenue later that year, including repairs to concrete columns and parapets, and fresh paint. Similar work was completed to the bridges on Jarvis Street and Murray Street. Last year, Norfolk Southern constructed a new railroad bridge on Front Street to replace one in severe condition.

Most of the railroad bridges in the City of Binghamton are owned by Norfolk Southern. Three are owned by New York Susquehanna & Western (NYSW).

Unlike road bridges, which are the responsibility of public entities, railroad bridges are the responsibility of the private railroad companies and are regulated by the federal government.