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The Ashford Avenue Bridge was built in 1950 and connects the Villages of Ardsley and Dobbs Ferry.
The bridge traverses the Saw Mill River, Saw Mill River Parkway, South County Trailway, and the New York State Thruway, making it a major commuter route. The bridge, however, has been the lowest-rated county-owned bridge in Westchester for several years.
The structural integrity of the span was called into question earlier this year after a fatal accident in July took out nearly 18 feet of railing.
“The Ashford Avenue Bridge has been deteriorating for years and we cannot allow this critical repair project to slip through the cracks. That is why I am calling on the Federal Highway Administration to work with the New York State Department of Transportation and Westchester County to get this plan for rehabilitation and repair approved as soon as possible,” Schumer said in a statement. “More than 20,000 commuters use this bridge each day and tens of thousands more drive underneath it on the New York State Thruway and Saw Mill River Parkway. We cannot afford to have another scare where concrete falls on to drivers below. We must get this bridge on the road to recovery and I am pushing everyone involved to do just that.”
A proposal for a $23.5 million replacement requires approval from both the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
If the project receives approval quickly, Schumer said construction could begin as early as March 2015.
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