Crucial Hamptons bridge closes indefinitely ahead of spring season
The Ponquogue Bridge that connects Hampton Bays to Ponquogue Beach in New York is closed to all vehicular and pedestrian traffic in both directions due to deteriorating concrete, according to local media.
The bridge first closed on Feb. 21, an emergency alert from the Town of Southampton said, following a "routine inspection" of the bridge by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) the day prior.
Inspectors from NYSDOT returned to the bridge on Monday for examination and to "obtain additional data to be analyzed by the engineers," a Town of Southampton Facebook post said.
The town says it is "awaiting more information from the County as to path forward and any reopening plans."
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People living in the area and visitors are encouraged to sign up for alerts from the town's Notify Me messaging system for bridge updates.
One alternate route is to the west of the Ponquogue Bridge in Quogue, News 12 Long Island reports.
Ponquogue Beach "is one of the most popular beaches in the Hamptons with over 106,000 visitors each summer season," the town's website states. Its beach pavilion, which was built in the late 1960s, underwent a $3.35 million renovation that began in November 2018, and the pavilion reopened to the public in May 2019.
Local businesses and fishermen have told local media they worry an extended bridge closure will cause them to miss out on business as the busy season approaches.