LITTLE VALLEY — Cattaraugus County lawmakers got more bad news Wednesday about the problem-plagued Tannery Street bridge in the village of Cattaraugus.
Cracks which developed in the foundation of the 84-foot culvert that carries a tributary of the South Branch of Cattaraugus Creek have continued to grow, Bill Fox of the county’s Public Works engineering division told the County Legislature’s Public Works Committee.
A crack that two weeks ago was ¼-inch has grown to about 2 inches wide across the foundation, Fox said.
The contractor, Edbauer Construction of West Seneca, has placed about 300 tons of large limestone rocks at the base of the foundation in a bid to halt movement.
Also, water was diverted around the crack so it could be examined and repaired before it worsens. Heavy rains raised the level of water in the creek which overflowed the crack again. Work has been halted until the water level recedes.
Fox said repair costs could top $200,000. “I’m not sure what we are going to do yet,” he said. “We want to keep water from getting inside the crack to keep it in the correctable range.”
The Public Works committee approved a resolution to add $46,000 to Greenman-Pedersen’s bridge inspection contract and another to hire Stantec Consulting Services, Rochester, for $50,000.
A failure of the foundation, which is about 12 feet lower at the downstream end, could lead to devastating damage all the way back to Route 353. “We need to stabilize this as soon as possible.”
If the crack is allowed to expand, it will require a more extensive and expensive repair, Fox said.
The New York State Department of Transportation helped design the foundation.
Floodwater swept through the construction site in July, ruining the steel forms that were in place for the concrete. The forms were removed and replaced. Work at the site resumed. Thousands of tons of gravel were brought in to bring the road up to grade and it was blacktopped before the cracks appeared.
The bridge will remain closed until spring with a detour still in place.
