With Auburn preparing to rehabilitate the Lake Avenue Bridge, how will the city fund the project?
While the city has received $4.9 million BRIDGE NY grant funding, there is still a $4 million funding gap. Speaking on FLX Morning, City Clerk Chuck Mason said the city plans to appeal to state and federal officials for additional funding.
“We’re going to apply for a grant through a program known as the Northern Border Commission,” said Mason. “We’re going to be taking a look at a grant application to help offset some of the costs through that program; that’s a federal government program. Then we’re going to go back to our state officials as well as federal officials and see if they can’t come up with some of the BRIDGE NY or other funding for this program.”
The $8.9 million price tag comes after an in-depth inspection of the bridge revealed a higher level of deterioration than previously believed. The project seeks to repair the bridge’s steel girders as well as replace the sidewalk and support steel thus extending the life of the bridge by 25 years. Built in 1954, the last time the bridge saw major rehabilitation work was in 2002.
The city plans to open bidding for the project in December with the contract being awarded in January. Construction would then begin in the spring of 2025, ending in December. While construction is underway, busing will be provided for students affected by the detour.
You can hear Mason’s full interview on FLX Morning below.
