BROCKPORT, N.Y. – Local lawmakers are stepping in after major delays on bridge construction in Brockport. They want to try and help local businesses impacted.
RELATED: Lawmaker calls for relief fund to help Brockport businesses impacted by lift bridge delays
Delay after delay, the Main Street Lift Bridge has been closed since 2024 and was supposed to reopen last September. Now, the village expects it to open in November. That’s why Monroe County Legislator Jackie Smith, along with other public officials, penned a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul asking for help supporting Main St. businesses.
“Our businesses have seen a decrease in revenue, during all of these delays. It’s worse than what they saw during the shutdowns at Covid,” Smith said.
Before construction, customers would drive or walk over the bridge to get to businesses on the other side. Now businesses are starting to feel the effects of decreased foot traffic.
One of the owners of Lift Bridge Book Shop, Sarah Bonczyk, told News10NBC they’re seeing 20 to 50 percent less foot traffic in recent months compared to before the bridge closed.
“It has been so hard. And I’ve said this a lot of times, and I’ll say it again, it makes 2020 look like a cakewalk. During that time frame, right. Things were really hard for a lot of people, but it was a very different mindset. And, you know, we feel so forgotten,” said Bonczyk.
Right across the street, Smartypants Clothing has seen similar struggles and is fearful of more delays.
“We’re basically on a dead end street right now, so going through the winter without having that through traffic, people are not going out of their way to park down here and walk around like they are in the summer. That is the hardest part,” said owner Erica Burns.
Burns wonders how the bridge project, which broke ground in May of 2023, still isn’t done, comparing it to the progress at the new Buffalo Bills stadium. That project broke ground in June 2023.
“The fact that they could build an entire stadium in less time than it took to fix our bridge sort of feels like we’re very low on the priority of public importance. It feels like a big kind of finger from the state,” said Burns.
Since 2024, the state is fining the contractor $7,000 each day the construction is delayed. Smith wants to see a portion go to the local businesses.
“We certainly would want to put some criteria around that. And also, have maybe someone in the village setting out on a board that would oversee this funding,” Smith said.
Legislator Smith’s letter to Gov. Hochul was sent on Monday. She hasn’t heard back yet but is hopeful that she will soon.
News10NBC reached out to the governor’s office about the letter. Check back later for any updates.
AI assisted with the formatting of this story. Click here to see how WHEC News 10 uses AI
Local lawmakers step in after major delays in Brockport bridge construction WHEC.com.
Hence then, the article about local lawmakers step in after major delays in brockport bridge construction was published today ( ) and is available on News10NBC ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Local lawmakers step in after major delays in Brockport bridge construction )
Also on site :
- French court denies extradition of ex-Tunisian President Ben Ali’s daughter
- Trump says Pam Bondi, a loyalist who oversaw Justice Department upheaval, is out as attorney general
- Ford and Toyota issue major South African car recall