On Wednesday, March 5, Ponquogue Bridge reopened to vehicles weighing under five tons following a routine inspection that closed the bridge on February 20. Procedures aimed at ensuring the bridge’s safety are underway.
Further Explanation of Restrictions
While the bridge is typically open to vehicles upwards of 40 tons, the following restrictions are in place until further notice. No vehicles over five tons can cross the bridge, and two-lane traffic will be directed around the locations of the ongoing safety repairs.
The Southampton emergency management administrator Ryan Murphy made a notable exception for ambulances over five tons.
A Routine Inspection Reveals Concerns
Ponquogue Bridge, whose name originates from a Native American phrase “Pawan Quogue,” apparently meaning “pond at the place where the bay bends,” is a 2,812-foot-long span completed in 1986 over Shinnecock Bay. While officially maintained by the Department of Works for Suffolk County, a routine New York State Department of Transportation inspection uncovered concerns.
The inspectors reported structural “deterioration of the concrete girder,” an observation that led to the temporary closure of the bridge’s entirety. Recognizing the critical importance of Ponquogue Bridge to emergency services and local businesses, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine is working to reaffirm the bridge’s complete safety for cars and trucks.
Insight on the State of the Bridge
Hamptons.com consulted Matt Culen, founder of Hudson Marine. Since his company participated in constructing the Jordan Haerter Bridge and conducted repairs of the Robert Moses Bridge, he offered valuable insight.
“There is a problem at the top, essentially, some deterioration,” Culen stated. “They will perhaps have to build a scaffold because the concrete has deteriorated or popped off. There’s possibly some way of blocking it a little bit, but it depends on how much of the concrete is spoiled and under the bearing. Yes, it can be repaired.”
Culen further expressed that it would be best to block the road around the area to speed up the process, limiting traffic to light vehicles, which town officials have done. If the repair was localized, he feels the process could be complete in about a week. Otherwise, it would take longer.
There are no plans for reconstructing the entire bridge, which cost $14 million in 1986. This is likely a good sign that repairs will be straightforward, even if the actual time for completion is uncertain.
How the Bridge’s Closure Impacts the Community
The biggest concern for the situation remains weight limitations, which prevent the commercial fishing fleet and the Hamptons Bays Fire Department from using the Ponquogue Bridge. Currently, the fishing fleet uses alternative routes, hamper pickups, and deliveries, while the fire department works with other departments to cover the fire district.
Community residents hope the Ponquogue Bridge will quickly return to full operational capacity to allow residents to safely use the bridge once again. A decline in traffic to the area on either side of the bridge has frustrated local businesses, and its closure limits certain services.
