Town of Plymouth discusses abandonment of bridge

PLYMOUTH – A bridge located on Old State Highway 23 in the Town of Plymouth may have outlived its usefulness, according to town and county officials.

The bridge, which is situated on the west end of Old State Highway 23 before the road meets State Route 23, may be abandoned, depending on the decision reached by county leaders.

At a recent meeting of the Chenango County Public Works Committee, supervisors discussed the possibility of abandoning the bridge, which serves about 21 people a day. Old State Highway 23 is a small, half-mile road, with both ends dumping out on State Route 23. If abandoned, those who use the bridge would have to travel an extra half-mile on Old State Highway 23.

County Director of Public Works Randy Gibbon explained that no decision has been made. Officials have just begun discussing the possibility of abandoning the bridge. However, if they decide to go forward with the plan, they will need adjacent property owners to sign off on the decision so they may begin abandonment procedures, which could take anywhere from four to six months.