The New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) held a public information meeting last month to discuss the proposed Court Street Bridge project in Owego. Next month, more plans will be shown to the public after which time the DOT will decide whether to repair or replace the bridge. The project will begin in May of the year 2000.

The DOT also showed three plans for an alternate traffic bypass of the Village of Owego. Many residents are concerned about increased truck traffic through the village caused by the height and weight restrictions on the Court Street Bridge. About 1,000 trucks per day roll down Front Street where the speed limit was recently reduced from 30 to 25 miles per hour in an effort to reduce noise and vibrations from the increased traffic. The bypass routes include 1) sending traffic from Hiawatha Bridge and 17C to Taylor and Davis Roads to East Main Street, to Erie Street and North Avenue; 2) taking traffic onto Rt 17C near Goodrich Road across the railroad tracks to Glen Mary Drive; or 3) moving traffic from Route 17C to John and Erie Streets to North Avenue. Some businesses are concerned that routing traffic around the village will be bad for business.

At this time the state has no plans to move forward with the bypass and it is not connected with the bridge project which will proceed with or without a bypass project.

Pictured above, a concerned citizen reviews one of the bypass plans. Pictured below, former Village of Owego mayor Richard Hoban studies photos of the deteriorating condition of the Court Street Bridge.