The Fire Island Inlet Bridge, an integral part of the Robert Moses Causeway, is a two-lane, steel tied arch span with a concrete deck that carries the parkway over

Fire Island Inlet Fire Island Inlet is an inlet on the south shore of Long Island, New York. It connects the Great South Bay with the Atlantic Ocean, passing between Robert Moses State Park (the western end of Fire Island) on the south and Oak Beach and Cap ...

. Construction of the Fire Island Bridge was completed in 1964 and although a relatively young structure, (less than 60 years old), its concrete deck has suffered from severe chloride ingress resulting in cracks, spalling, and the formation of potholes. The Fire Island Inlet span of the Robert Moses Causeway connects to Robert Moses State Park on the western tip of Fire Island. The Fire Island Inlet Bridge is located south of the State Boat Channel Bridge, a long

bascule bridge A bascule bridge (also referred to as a drawbridge or a lifting bridge) is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances a span, or leaf, throughout its upward swing to provide clearance for boat traffic. It may be single- o ...

modeled after Brooklyn's Mill Basin Drawbridge.

History

The

span cost $10 million to complete and opened to traffic on June 13, 1964. By 1985, a

dual span Twin bridges are a set of two bridges running parallel to each other. A pair of twin bridges is often referred to collectively as a twin-span or dual-span bridge. Twin bridges are independent structures and each bridge has its own superstructu ...

was supposed to be built to alleviate traffic; the second bridge proposal was never implemented. As first proposed in 1938, the span was to be a vertical-lift span with a design similar to that of the

Marine Parkway–Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge The Marine Parkway–Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge (originally and often referred to as the Marine Parkway Bridge) is a vertical-lift bridge in New York City, New York, that crosses Rockaway Inlet. The bridge, which opened on July 3, 1937, con ...

. The design was changed to conform with that of the Great South Bay Bridge, a steel-arch span with a clearance. In 2004, the New York State Department of Transportation began studies on the Fire Island Inlet span after the realization that it was rapidly decomposing due to flaws in the cement during its construction. A weight restriction was enforced by local police until permanent repairs could be made. Currently repairs are being undertaken to extend the life and safety of the bridge; groundbreaking for a new bridge was expected in 2010. It is assumed that the new bridge will be built to the west of the current structure; the new span will be four lanes, two southbound and two northbound. The new Fire Island Bridge will keep the look of the old one for aesthetic conformity with the other bridges over the bay.

References

External links

Map of Fire Island Inlet
{{coord, 40, 37, 56, N, 73, 15, 46, W, display=title Bridges on Long Island Road bridges in New York (state) Bridges completed in 1964 Tied arch bridges in the United States Steel bridges in the United States Bridges in Suffolk County, New York