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  • The Crown Point Bridge sits idle as town, county, state and federal officials try to figure out how to reopen the lifeline between New York and Vermont. A crane was positioned on a barge below the pier that was found to have a diagonal crack, which was what caused DOT engineers to close the bridge last Friday. (Staff Photo/Kim Smith Dedam)

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October 21, 2009

NY declares disaster at closed Champlain Bridge

By KIM SMITH DEDAM

CROWN POINT — Gov. David Paterson has declared a state disaster for Essex County over closure of the Champlain Bridge, which is expected to expediate repairs and financial relief.

The response echoes a similar declaration Tuesday by Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas.

At Paterson’s direction, New York has established a toll-free hotline for residents and businesses and opened an outreach center at the Visitor’s Center, the former tollhouse beside the bridge.

“The closure of the Lake Champlain bridge has disrupted the lives of many North Country residents and has affected their businesses,” Paterson said in a statement.

“I am firmly committed to protecting the safety of those who drive across the bridge daily. With this disaster declaration, we are working to expedite repairs and to provide the highest level of assistance possible to the community.”



FIRST STEPS

Timothy Gilchrist, chairman of Paterson’s of Economic Recovery Cabinet, traveled to the bridge Wednesday to announce measures under way to repair it and at the same time assess lake-crossing travel alternatives.

Disaster declaration means the state is relieved from normal contract bid obligations.

Gilchrist said engineers from the major U.S. firm HNTB are assessing concrete in the piers, taking core samples ahead of a long-term solution.

Meanwhile, Lake Champlain Transportation Co. reviewed options for adding a ferry crossing in Crown Point.

The state has contacted bridge manufacturing companies and the U.S. Army to source options for a temporary bridge.

Acting New York Department of Transportation Commissioner Stanley Gee contacted the Federal Highway Administration, requesting federal assistance to repair the Champlain Bridge.

Paterson has also requested a complete review of the bridge inspection process that ended with the abrupt closure.

Engineering review takes time, but officials are not sure how much.

“We can give you a time frame when we can be sure of that time frame,” Gilchrist said.



HOTLINE

Immediate help for businesses and commuters was put in motion.

The toll-free emergency hotline number, 1-888-769-7243, will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Local residents can call 485-1159.

The hotline is answered by the State Emergency Management Office onsite, coordinating a multi-agency response team at the Visitor Center to include staff from Agriculture and Markets, the Labor Department, Empire State Development and insurance experts.

Business owners, farmers, residents and commuters are encouraged to call or go to the SEMO office to share their concerns, which will help state agencies direct funding relief.

Under disaster designation, the Small Business “This has had a huge impact on people, and we know that,” Gilchrist said.

Administration can file claims for federal emergency assistance.



FASTER FUNDING

State Sen. Betty Little (R-Queensbury) called the disaster declaration “good news. We’ve been hoping for this designation to engage the federal government and free up emergency spending to mitigate the economic loss as a result of the bridge closure.”

DOT and the Vermont Agency of Transportation decided five days ago to close the bridge indefinitely, based on public safety, after finding diagonal cracks in Pier 5, below the water line.



EMPLOYERS TALK IMPACT

In Middlebury, the Addison County Chamber of Commerce convened a group of major employers impacted by bridge closure, including IP Ticonderoga Mill, Porter Hospital, IBM, Job Corps, Goodrich, The Doc Doctors and other companies.

Ticonderoga Supervisor Bob Dedrick, Crown Point Supervisor Dale French and Moriah Supervisor Tom Scozzafava were at the meeting, which drew upwards of 300 people.

Economic leaders discussed ways to coordinate a shuttle service from ferry landings to places of employment.

“The biggest fear of major employers is their workers who commute will come in and say, ‘We just can’t do this anymore’,” Scozzfava said.

Dedrick said commuting workers should keep receipts from ferry crossings and maintain mileage records.

“All of this information will be helpful,” he said.

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