Just in time for Memorial Day weekend, major construction has been completed on a $13.1 million project to rehabilitate two historic drawbridges on the Loop Parkway and Meadowbrook State Parkway in Nassau County’s South Shore. The two bridges will be fully open and ready to handle traffic headed to Long Island’s barrier islands and public beaches this weekend to celebrate the unofficial start of the summer season. Work on the two drawbridges included the replacement of the steel decks on both structures.
“There’s no better place to celebrate the start of the summer season in New York than the beautiful beaches on Long Island and we have pulled out all the stops to make it easier for residents and visitors alike to get to them this Memorial Day weekend,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “The on-time completion of work on these two historic bridges will help get the Long Island summer off to a great start and eliminate any construction-related hassles beachgoers may face this weekend.”
Technically known as bascule bridges – moveable bridges that feature counterweights to lift and balance the span – the bridges on the Loop Parkway over Long Creek and the Meadowbrook State Parkway over Sloop Channel have been undergoing restoration since the winter of 2022/2023. Workers used flame-lit torches to cut away the previous steel decks and then cleaned the frame before installing more than 10,000 square feet of new, galvanized steel in prefabricated sections. Weights were used to balance each of the bascule spans in the upward position while removal and connection was ongoing.
The deck replacement was done in stages to keep the bridges open, minimizing impacts to both motor vehicles and marine traffic. In the winter of 2022/2023, the Loop Parkway’s westbound section and the center sections of the Meadowbrook Parkway’s two spans were both completed. Workers returned the following winter to replace the remaining sections. A barge was positioned underneath the bridge to provide workers access to the underside of the bridge and to prevent debris from falling into the water.
The refurbishment extended the service life and improved the resiliency of both bridges, which are located in the Town of Hempstead and were each built in 1934. The Loop Parkway connects the Long Beach barrier island with the State’s Parkways while the Meadowbrook is a gateway to Jones Beach and other local beaches along the South Shore.
Maintenance work will continue under Loop Parkway drawbridge on the structure’s concrete support piers and adjacent to the road to restore the natural vegetation, which will require intermittent lane closures during off-peak travel hours.
“These historic bridges are vital to Long Island’s barrier islands and we are excited to fully re-open them in time for the start of the summer season,” New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said.
State Senator Kevin Thomas (D-Garden City) added, “These bridges transport Long Islander’s and visitors to our beautiful beaches, it’s essential that these vital roadways are maintained.”
“It will be a benefit to those traveling to Jones Beach, which is the crown jewel of New York State Parks, and other beaches this summer,” added Assemblymember David McDonough (R-Bellmore).
Assemblymember Taylor Darling (D-Hempstead) said, “This is a big win for the state and for Long Island. The completion of major construction on the Loop Parkway and Meadowbrook State Parkway in Nassau County’s South Shore ensures that the two bridges will be fully open and ready to handle traffic headed to Long Island’s barrier islands and public beaches this weekend to celebrate the unofficial start of the summer season. Enhancing the infrastructure and accessibility in Long Island, benefiting both residents and visitors alike, is a top priority for our state.”