Work begins on Fort Drum overpass project
Work on a new bridge to connect the main section of Fort Drum to Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield is underway, according to the state Department of Transportation.
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DOT Region 7 spokesman Michael R. Flick said workers are preparing the site for the work.
“As the weather continues to improve, things will start to pick up pace,” he said.
The bridge project is scheduled for completion in August 2018, according to the state Department of Transportation.
The work was initially projected to cost $9.03 million, but the bid for the work by Luck Brothers, Inc, of Plattsburgh, came in at $7.65 million.
“It came in well under budget,” Mr. Flick said.
The work could cause some delays for drivers on Route 26.
In a post to its Facebook page, the post’s public affairs office said the work could create delays of up to 30 minutes during certain phases of the project.
The project will begin at Nash Boulevard, cut down through Coyler Avenue, then travel over Route 26 with a dedicated overpass.
The overpass will connect into the airfield with a new traffic circle at Munns Corner Road.
Post officials have previously told the Times that the new bridge project will increase security at the post and reduce the amount of soldier manpower used at its gates.
About 3,000 vehicles travel through the Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield gate daily.
The bridge was one of two road projects at Fort Drum supported by the state in recent years. The second project, which combined multiple intersections at the post’s Gasoline Alley gate, was mostly completed last year. Mr. Flick said that there is some cleanup work to be done by the road and paving will take place when temperatures rise in the area.
That gate is used by about 3,000 vehicles per day.
