Town of Dryden - Freese Road over Fall Creek Bridge Replacement (PIN 3756.41)

Negative Declaration

Tompkins County - The Town of Dryden, as lead agency, has determined that the proposed Freese Road over Fall Creek Bridge Replacement (PIN 3756.41) will not have a significant adverse environmental impact. The action involves a proposal to replace the Freese Road Bridge. The Freese Road Bridge (BIN 3209800) is a two-span Pratt truss constructed in the 1880s with a total length of 166 foot. The Freese Road Bridge is listed as eligible on the State and National Register Building List. The existing structure shows signs of deterioration along the transverse floor beams, the longitudinal stringers, the diagonal cross bracing, the steel grate deck, and steel curbing. Currently the bridge is closed to traffic due to the deterioration of the steel truss members. Additionally, the existing structure does not meet several New York State Department of Transportation (NYS DOT) Bridge Manual requirements, and a bridge rehabilitation will not address these requirements. As a result, the selected alternative is to completely replace the existing structure. The project will construct a new single lane, single span, conventional steel multi-girder structure. The new bridge will also have an 8 foot sidewalk for pedestrian access. The existing steel grate deck, steel floor beams and stringers, and concrete substructure would be removed entirely. The steel trusses would be relocated onto the new bridge façade after being blasted, cleaned, and re-painted. The existing pier will be removed down to the streambed. The project will result in approximately 500 foot of approach roadway reconstruction to tie the new structure into the existing roadway geometry. The project is located on Freese Road in the Town of Dryden, New York.