S1363-2013 Actions

• Jan 9, 2013: REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION

S1363-2013 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S1363

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the highway law, in relation to directing the commissioner of
transportation, upon a finding that
a bridge has consistent structural defects and/or safety concerns,
to establish and implement
an emergency plan for the drivers and the communities affected by
the
closure of such bridge

PURPOSE:
Directs the Commissioner of the Department of Transportation to
establish and implement an emergency plan for drivers and communities
affected by a closure of a bridge prior to such closure.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends paragraphs (d) and (e) of subdivision 3 of section
231 of the highway law and add a new paragraph (f) is added requiring
upon the finding that a bridge has consistent structural defects
and/or safety concerns determined in accordance with the uniform code
of bridge inspection, establish and implement an emergency plan for
rerouting the traffic and for assisting the drivers and communities
affected should a closure of such bridge be necessary.

Section 2 - This act shall take effect immediately.

JUSTIFICATION:
The Lake Champlain Bridge which spanned the state line between Crown
Point, New York and Chimney Point, Vermont was closed in October 2009
and demolished in December 2009 due to major structural defects. The
closure of the bridge caused economic hardship for commuters and
local businesses as traffic is greatly reduced on both sides of the
lake. The two main detours for commuters were private ferry services;
one about 15 miles south of the bridge, and the other
service about 25 miles of the bridge. Even with expanded hours, and
New York State subsidies, the two private services could not meet the
demand nor could they continue operating once ice formed on the Lake.

In February 2010 a temporary ferry service began operating at the site
of the original bridge. This ferry service runs approximately every
15 minutes, 24 hours a day free to riders due to a subsidy provided
by the New York State Department of Transportation.

Although the response of the closure was addressed fairly quickly, the
economic and personal disruptions could have been lessened if a plan
was in place prior to the closure of the bridge. With many other
bridges in similar or worse shape than the Lake Champlain Bridge this
legislation would assist other communities facing similar
inconveniences.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2010: S. 7250 Transportation; A. 10996 Transportation
2011-12 S. 555 Referred to Transportation


FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

S1363-2013 Text

 S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 
 
                                         1363
 2013-2014 Regular Sessions
 I N  SENATE
 (PREFILED)
 January 9, 2013
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  LITTLE,  LARKIN,  RANZENHOFER  --  read twice and
 ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on
 Transportation
 AN  ACT  to  amend the highway law, in relation to directing the commis
 sioner of transportation, upon a finding that a bridge has  consistent
 structural  defects and/or safety concerns, to establish and implement
 an emergency plan for the drivers and the communities affected by  the
 closure of such bridge
 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

Section 1. Paragraphs (d) and (e) of subdivision 3 of section  231  of
 the  highway  law,  as  added  by  chapter  781 of the laws of 1988, are
 amended and a new paragraph (f) is added to read as follows:

 (d) make available training materials to  persons  performing  mainte
 nance and inspection pursuant to this article; [and]
 (e)  prescribe  qualifications  of  bridge  design,  construction, and
 inspection  experience  for  licensed  professional  engineers  who  may
 perform  or  supervise  bridge  inspections or evaluations in accordance
 with the provisions of this article[.]; AND
 (F) UPON THE FINDING THAT A BRIDGE HAS CONSISTENT  STRUCTURAL  DEFECTS
 AND/OR  SAFETY  CONCERNS,  AS  DETERMINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE UNIFORM
 CODE OF BRIDGE INSPECTION ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO  SECTION  TWO  HUNDRED
 THIRTY-TWO  OF  THIS  ARTICLE, ESTABLISH AND IMPLEMENT AN EMERGENCY PLAN
 FOR REROUTING THE TRAFFIC, AND FOR ASSISTING THE DRIVERS AND COMMUNITIES
 AFFECTED SHOULD A CLOSURE OF SUCH BRIDGE BE NECESSARY PURSUANT TO SUBDI
 VISION TWO OF THIS SECTION.
 

S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD01131-01-3

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