US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
Monroe County’s Gillett Road Bridge Was Forced To Close In December 2023 Due To Potential Structural Failures, Cutting Off Motorists And Disrupting Commutes And Traffic Patterns For Monroe County Residents
Schumer Last Year Stood At CSX-Owned Bridge With County And Local Leaders And Personally Called On CSX To Make Repairs To Vital Crossing That Connects Ogden To Spencerport
Schumer: CSX Is Paving The Way To Reopen Vital Monroe County Bridge
After standing at Gillett Road Bridge in Monroe County last year and calling on CSX to make urgently-needed repairs, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today announced CSX Transportation has heeded his calls to repairs to the Gillett Road Bridge, a major crossing which has been closed since December 2023 due to structural deficiencies. Schumer said the closure of the bridge, which connects the town of Ogden to the village of Spencerport, has caused significant disruption to the area, but thankfully now after months of his sustained advocacy alongside the county, CSX has agreed to start work fixing the bridge as soon as this week.
“Last year, I stood at the Gillett Road Bridge to call on CSX to come to restore this critical passageway for the Greater Rochester community. Today after months of advocacy, I’m proud to announce that CSX has heeded my calls and will pave the way to reopen this vital Monroe County corridor. Reopening this bridge will help finally relieve our families in Ogden and across the Rochester area of the headache of having to drive far out of their way on their daily commute to work, school, and ensure first responders can quickly reach their destinations,” said Senator Schumer. “I was proud to stand with Congressman Morelle, County Executive Adam Bello, and Ogden Town Supervisor Mike Zale to hold CSX to its obligations to fix this vital crossing for Monroe County and greatly appreciate CSX partnership on this important project. I look forward to CSX beginning repairs as soon as this week and reopening this corridor.”
Senator Schumer explained that over two years ago, the New York Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) issued a “red flag” warning to CSX for the Gillett Road Bridge upon finding severe structural weaknesses which posed an immediate threat to public safety. Although this has been a known safety issue for months, CSX delayed taking action, forcing Monroe County to close the bridge indefinitely to vehicle traffic in December, after finding that the bridge could not hold a live traffic load.
The Senator said the forced closure of this bridge has caused significant disruption to the area, inconveniencing and frustrating residents, visitors, and motorists. Its closure has been a major obstruction necessitating traffic detours that not only impact residents who live on either side of the bridge but impact the efficient movement of children traveling to and from the Spencerport school campus, emergency or public safety vehicles, shoppers to the Spencerport business district, and more. Furthermore, as the main north-south road, vital travel has been essentially dead until the crossing is reopened to vehicle traffic, because the town of Ogden and Village of Spencerport are bisected by the Erie Canal. Gillett Road is one of the few north-south crossings over the Erie Canal and its closure has greatly restricted residents’ movement and caused danger in case of an emergency that requires residents to efficiently travel throughout Ogden and Spencerport.
Senator Schumer and Congressman Joe Morelle last year personally wrote to the CSX CEO demanding CSX perform the necessary, critical repairs to the Gillett Road Bridge so that vehicle traffic can be restored and once again be open to the commuters, travelers, families, emergency vehicles, and residents who depend on the crossing daily. Schumer applauded CSX heeding his calls to make repairs necessary to reopen this vital connector for Monroe County.