Crumbling Bridge Needs Work, Still Structurally Sound

The crumbling columns and exposed rebar that support the railroad bridge over West Main Street look unkempt.The city does not believe, however, that the surface decay poses a structural problem for the bridge on Watertown's northwest side, City Manager Mary M. Corriveau said.
There have been no discussions between CSX Railroad Inc., Jacksonville, Fla., and the city about the bridge since the rail company patched the columns in 2007.
A CSX-owned rail line that runs from Syracuse to Montreal passes over the bridge. Crumbled concrete still lies in the median of West Main Street beneath the bridge and material has begun to fleck from newly patched columns.
A call to CSX's office in Philadelphia, Pa., was not returned Tuesday.
"Cosmetically, it doesn't look good, but what we're more concerned about is its structural integrity," Mrs. Corriveau said. "We have not been made aware of any concerns from CSX concerning its stability."
In May 2007, the city lobbied CSX to make repairs to the bridge because of its deterioration. Workers patched a few columns and left others untreated.
Mrs. Corriveau said there have been no discussion or complaints about the bridge since the 2007 repairs were made.
"We're trying to keep an eye on it," she said. "We will talk with CSX again regarding it."
She noted that a CSX bridge on Route 37 in Pamelia is in a similar state of disrepair.
"It's not an issue that is just here in the city of Watertown," she said.
On Tuesday, state Department of Transportation spokesman Michael R. Flick said he didn't believe there are any unresolved problems between the state and the rail company.
"I'm not aware of any larger countywide issues with rail bridges in the county," he said.