At its July 13 meeting, the Gardiner Town Board voted to accept a bid of $393,575 from Precise Enterprises for the replacement of the dilapidated Clove Road Bridge. The Wallkill-based landscaping firm was the lowest bidder for the long-awaited project. “I’ve been asking for this for five-and-a-half years,” said the clearly relieved town supervisor, Marybeth Majestic.
The small bridge spans the Coxing Kill, connecting a back route between Mohonk and Minnewaska and providing access to the Split Rock swimming area and the Lost City trailhead. It was tagged Code Yellow, meaning “structurally compromised,” by the Department of Transportation in 2019.
Majestic explained that $250,000 of the cost of the project would be covered by state DOT grant funding, and projected that its “shovel-ready” status also makes it a likely candidate for federal infrastructure assistance under the American Relief Plan. She said that there was also some money for such projects in the General Fund, and that the town would float a bond if necessary to cover total costs.
Noting that closure of Clove Road would necessitate a “12- or 14-mile detour” for residents of the Clove neighborhood and others who use the span regularly, Majestic said, “The bridge will remain open until they have all the materials.” She estimated that, due to supply chain delays caused by COVID-19, it will take about four months before Precise Enterprises can expect delivery of the concrete panels needed to replace the bridge. Weather permitting, the project should be completed by the end of 2021.
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