CORTLAND, N.Y. — Construction is expected to begin in the next several weeks on a $1.9 million project to replace a bridge in one of the most rural sections of Cortland County.
Crews will be replacing the Route 221 bridge over a tributary to the east branch of Owego Creek in the town of Harford, which serves as a link for residents to Broome and Tioga counties.
"This bridge is essential to the people of southwestern Cortland County," said New York State Department of Transportation Acting Commission Paul A. Karas.
The existing structure is a single-span, concrete slab bridge that was built in 1935. The replacement bridge will have ten-foot lanes with five-foot shoulders and a five-foot sidewalk on the east side of the structure, which will ultimately become a pathway to the nearby Harford town park.
"This bridge replacement project will mean a great deal to those who live and work in Cortland County and travel Route 221 on a daily basis," said New York State Sen. James Seward, whose district includes Cortland County. "Improvements like this send a message that Cortland County is continuing to take steps forward and is ready for future growth.”
Traffic will be maintained on-site during construction using an alternating single-lane, temporary bridge controlled by signals on each side. The temporary bridge will include a sidewalk, allowing pedestrians to cross at any time.
