Mussels Delay Broome County Bridge Demolition

Broome County officials want to remove a rusting bridge that's been closed for decades but they are still awaiting for approval from state environmental officials.

The span is in Center Village in the town of Colesville. The bridge over the Susquehanna River has been closed to vehicles for 35 years.

The planned demolition project is on hold because an endangered species of mussels living in the river near the site must be protected.

County Executive Jason Garnar said a "mussel relocation plan" has been submitted to the state Department of Environmental Conservation, which requested it.

Garnar told WNBF News "we're waiting for that plan to be approved." He said the county has provided "a final alternative design for the permit to actually take down the bridge."

The county now is waiting for the DEC to approve the relocation plan. The county executive said "when that's done, we can relocate the mussels safely" and then remove the bridge.

During a recent radio interview, Garnar said he didn't know exactly how many mussels were living around the site but it is "enough for us to not be able to do it until the DEC says move some of them away from where you're going to be bringing the bridge down."

The county executive said the mussel relocation is one of the things that must be handled before the project can move forward. But, he said, "we do want to take down that bridge as soon as possible."

Garnar said he had hoped the demolition project could have been accomplished last year. He has previously estimated the cost of removing the bridge at "a couple hundred thousand dollars."

The bridge was built in 1890. A new span was constructed to the south in 1990.

Pedestrians and bicyclists were allowed to use the old bridge for a time but it eventually was closed to them as the structure continued to deteriorate.

WNBF NEWS VIDEO: A look back to our original report from the Center Village bridge two years ago.

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