Observer file photo
The Veterans Memorial Bridge over Chautauqua Lake is pictured.
The state Department of Transportation is advising motorists to expect the following nightly closures along Interstate 86 in the vicinity of the bridges over Chautauqua Lake in Bemus Point to facilitate an ongoing construction project.
The closures will be in effect nightly from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. beginning Monday to Saturday, Sept. 14.
The Exit 10 (Long Point State Park) ramp from eastbound Interstate 86 to westbound State Route 430 will be closed. Motorists traveling westbound on State Route 430 will be detoured using Interstate 86, Exit 11.
Westbound I-86 will be closed to traffic between Exit 10 and Exit 9. Motorists should follow posted detours.
Interstate 86 traffic in both the eastbound and westbound directions will be closed between Exit 9 and Exit 11. Motorists should follow posted detours.
The 24-span Chautauqua County Veterans Memorial Bridge near Bemus Point sees heavy commercial traffic with an average daily traffic count of 13,000 vehicles, according to the Erdman Anthony Engineering Firm that is overseeing the $78 million project. Work 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 structures that split off on the eastern end of the main bridge. The fourth structure that carries the westbound Southern Tier Expressway ramps to Route 430 will also be resurfaced and receive new joints.
Work on the project will progress over four construction seasons, with initial work focusing on the creation of crossover lanes to move traffic during future project phases. One lane of traffic in each direction of I-86 will be maintained throughout the bulk of the project, however, motorists were advised before work began that there would be some overnight closures of the highway in 2024 and 2025 to facilitate the pouring of the new bridge decks.