Street Under I-81 Bridge in Binghamton May Reopen by Year’s End

A roadway linking two Binghamton neighborhoods that's been closed for more than a year could be back in operation for limited use within several weeks.

Chenango Street between Bevier and Frederick streets has been out of service for through traffic since September 2021 because of an an Interstate 81 bridge repair project.

The work is being done to address the unacceptable sinking of the nine-year-old bridge that was constructed as part of a project to improve the I-81 connection with Route 17.

When the Chenango Street detour was announced, the state Department of Transportation said the closure was "expected to last approximately three months."

After spending more than $3 million in an attempt to fix the problem, engineers determined the original plan wasn't working so additional work was ordered.

The DOT Friday issued an update on the project from Binghamton regional director Thomas Wiser.

The brief statement indicated the agency "is encouraged by the recent progress we are making on the Chenango Arch Bridge."

According to the statement: "We are currently in the middle of multiple concrete pours to strengthen the bridge and anticipate opening the Arch to single lane traffic by the end of the year if not sooner."

The DOT noted that Chenango Street remains open for pedestrians and bicyclists.

The agency has not provided details about what caused what it has described "uncharacteristic settlement" of the bridge. The arch was constructed using precast concrete sections.

It's still unknown how much the repair job will cost or whether any contractors involved with the original project will be required to pay for it.

WATCH: New video from the Binghamton project site.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com or (607) 545-2250. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.