State starts nearly $2M project on Route 13 bridge in Ithaca

ITHACA, N.Y. — Construction crews have started a $1.95 million project to rehabilitate the bridge carrying State Route 13 (South Meadow Street) over Six Mile Creek in the city of Ithaca, the state announced.

When completed, the improved bridge will enhance safety and improve travel along a key roadway that provides direct access to Ithaca’s commercial and educational centers, and helps connect the Finger Lakes and Southern Tier regions, the New York State Department of Transportation said in a news release. State Route 13 runs directly through the city of Ithaca and provides a link between the city of Cortland to the east and the village of Horseheads to the southwest.

The project will rehabilitate the bridge, which was originally built in 1965, to extend its service life and improve resiliency. Work will include joint and bearing replacement, repairs to the abutments, painting of the structural steel, and the installation of a new asphalt overlay on the bridge surface, the release stated. The project will also add new precast concrete approach slabs. 

The sidewalk on the east side of the bridge will be replaced, while the west side of the bridge will remain open to pedestrian traffic throughout the construction process.

All joint work will take place between  

7 p.m. and 6 a.m. with traffic flow controlled by flaggers. Bearing replacement, substructure work and painting will take place during the day without lane closures, the Department of Transportation said.

Replacement of the approach slabs will require some weekend road closures but will not be scheduled in either the May 22-24 or May 28-31 periods, to accommodate Ithaca College and Cornell University graduation events, per the department. Traffic will be detoured onto Route 13A during the weekend closures. All work is expected to be completed by the end of 2021.