Photo by Mike Smoker Construction on the I-86 Veterans Memorial Bridge is underway.

One local leader has questioned the New York State Department of Transportation about the plan and process for removing snow off the Interstate 86 Veterans Memorial Bridge this upcoming winter.

Town of Ellery Supervisor Larry Anderson has asked the state’s Department of Transportation officials about the process the state will implement. However, the answer he’s received has him shaking his head in disbelief.

“I was told don’t worry about it,” he said. “They (DOT) have a plan for this.”

Anderson said he has constituents he must answer to, and they want answers sooner than later regarding the now controversial bridge reconstruction project.

“I’ve got residents asking about plowing this winter on the bridge,” he said. “I mean there’s not a lot of room up there now. I’ve got to believe the plow trucks, with their large plow wings, are going to be a tight squeeze up there. …Where is the snow going to go after they plow? This isn’t like on a roadway where the snow gets pushed off into a berm or ditch. The snow has to go somewhere.”

The I-86 Bridge Project has drawn criticism from several Chautauqua County residents and governmental officials. Several rumors and social media postings have been openly critical of the reconstruction plan for the bridge, and for the safety of travelers who use it.

In a June 28, Post-Journal article, DOT officials reported that some members of the engineering team said the plan for complete removal from one side of the structure would create an uneven and unbalanced distribution of weight that could create an unbalanced load for the structure leading to its destruction. A letter received by The Post-Journal in late April detailed one engineer’s position that much of the concrete barrier on the bridge’s south side had been removed while the north side of the bridge had seen additional concrete “jersey” barriers added, creating an unbalanced load distribution between the two ends of the bridge. However, state officials still claim that it is safe to continue to use the bridge.

Despite worries and concerns voiced by residents on social media in August a New York state Department of Transportation director maintains the Interstate 86 bridges over Chautauqua Lake are “safe for travel.”

In an email communication, Susan Surdej, New York Department of Transportation, Western New York regional public information officer, stated that the bridge is safe to use and that the rumors are false in nature.

“The bridge is safe for motorists and DOT will keep the public apprised on any changes in the construction schedule.”

The $78 million project that began in March will reconstruct the 4,000-foot main bridge that was completed in 1982 as well as the two 500-foot-long bridge structures that split off on the eastern end of the main bridge. The fourth bridge structure that carries the westbound Southern Tier Expressway ramps to Route 430 will also be resurfaced and receive new bridge joints.

“That is all fine and well, but I still would like to see more of a plan for the snow removal on the bridge other than “‘Don’t worry about it. We’ve got a plan for it.'”

In response to an inquiry sent by The Post-Journal regarding the snow removal plan, Surdej stated “As always, the New York State Department of Transportation continually monitors weather conditions and is fully prepared to respond to snow and ice events on the Interstate 86 bridge over Chautauqua Lake.”