The Smith Point Bridge in Suffolk County has been a popular gateway to Fire Island for over 60 years. Originally built on July 4th, 1969, the Suffolk County Department of Public Works has announced that construction will begin in mid-2024 to replace the structure.
According to Suffolk County, the new bridge will be a fixed bridge and have a 55-foot vertical clearance. There will be a more than 300-foot-long, handicap-accessible fishing pier underneath the bridge and an overlook along the bridge.
The project will also include new recreational courts and bathrooms at Smith County Park.
County officials say the Smith Point Bridge has stood for many years beyond its original life design.
In 2019, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said in an interview, “This is one of our most important parks and recreational assets. It is a gateway to Fire Island National seashore as well. And because this is a bridge that not only needs repair, needs replacement." Originally, Bellone said the new bridge project would likely start in 2021. Now construction on the new bridge is expected to start in the middle of 2024 and open in 2027.
Since it's going to be a couple of years before you see any signs of construction, county officials say the old bridge will stay up and accessible while the new one is being built.
The Smith Point Bridge replacement project has been in talks since 2016.
Earlier this year, William Hillman, chief engineer of the Suffolk County Department of Public Works, William Nyman, a principal associate of Hardesty & Hanover, the engineering firm designing the new bridge, and representatives from AKRF Inc, an environmental engineering company, met with community residents via Zoom to discuss the project.
The $73 million project is expected to have a 75-to-100-year lifespan.
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Source: Suffolk County Department of Public Works
