SCHUMER: AFTER CSX-OWNED BRIDGE IN MONROE COUNTY WAS FORCED TO CLOSE INDEFINITELY DUE TO DANGEROUS STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCIES FROM RAILROAD FAILING TO MAINTAIN IT, SCHUMER DEMANDS CSX ACT NOW TO RESTORE THIS VITAL ROADWAY FOR OGDEN & ROCHESTER COMMUNITY

Letter

Dear Mr. Joseph Hinrichs, CEO of CSX Transportation:

We write to request CSX Transportation immediately take action to fix the CSX-owned bridge that carries Gillett Road over the former CSX rail lines in the Town of Ogden, NY so that this vital crossing can safely be re-opened to vehicle traffic. It's been a full year since the New York State Department of Transportation (NYS DOT) issued CSX a "red flag" warning for the bridge, a designation issued when bridge inspectors determine the failure or potential failure of a primary structural bridge component is likely to occur within two years of the current inspection. Since CSX has not taken action to date, the Monroe County Department of Transportation had no choice but to close the bridge indefinitely to vehicle traffic on December 6, 2023, after a follow-up analysis revealed the bridge posed a threat to public safety because the bridge piers are not capable of handling a lateral load which occurs under any live traffic load.

The forced closure of this bridge is causing significant disruption to area residents, visitors, and motorists. Gillett road is a major north-south thoroughfare in the Town of Odgen that connects into the Spencerport Village business district. Its closure is 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.

Records indicate that CSX never formally abandoned this property, which was previously used as a rail line before being removed in the 1990s, and is therefore still responsible for maintenance of the bridge. Neither the Monroe County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) nor the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) have records indicating that CSX transferred or abandoned ownership rights of the Ogden-Gillett bridge.

After the removal of the rail lines, records indicate CSX performed bridge work on at least one occasion in 2009, and appears to likely have performed work on other occasions including 2007 when an inspection report noted that temporary fixes were made to the deteriorating girders after the NYSDOT had issued yellow and red structural flags to CSX in 2004 and 2006. Then in 2009, CSX installed metal bearing stiffeners and plates on the bridge's girders to address the deterioration and reinforce the prior repairs. No evidence exists that MCDOT performed any of this work or paid an outside contractor to perform this work on its behalf. Indeed, NYSDOT's recorded plans of the 2009 work show the words "CSX Transportation Engineering Division" in the title block.

CSX's maintenance of the Gillett bridge further demonstrates CSX's responsibility for maintaining the bridge now. Therefore, we urge CSX to move swiftly to fix the structural deficiencies whether through bridge replacement or bridge removal and ground infill to grade or other means that will safety return vehicle traffic to Gillett Road.

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