October 21, 2009
GOVERNOR PATERSON ISSUES DISASTER DECLARATION FOR ESSEX COUNTY AND AREA IMPACTED BY LAKE CHAMPLAIN BRIDGE CLOSURE
Establishes Toll-Free Hotline for Residents and Businesses: 1-888-769-7243
Opens State Outreach Center at Champlain Bridge
Governor David A. Paterson today declared a State Disaster Emergency in Essex County and the neighboring areas adversely affected by the emergency closure of the Lake Champlain Bridge. In addition, at the Governor’s direction, the State has established a toll-free hotline for residents and businesses and has opened an outreach center at the site of the bridge.
“The closure of the Lake Champlain Bridge has disrupted the lives of many North Country residents and has affected their businesses,” Governor Paterson said. “I am firmly committed to protecting the safety of those who drive across the bridge daily. With this disaster declaration, we are working to expedite repairs and to provide the highest level of assistance possible to the community.
“I have directed the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) to expedite the repair of the bridge to re-open it to traffic and to work with Vermont to put alternative transportation in place while the bridge is closed. In addition I have directed NYSDOT to work with Vermont and the federal government to expedite the study and design of a permanent solution,” the Governor continued. “In the meantime, I have directed State agencies to provide assistance to those affected by the closure.”
The toll-free hotline number - 1-888-769-7243 - will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Those calling from the 518 area code may dial 518-485-1159. The State outreach center is located in the Lake Champlain Visitors Center at 814 Bridge Rd. in Crown Point.
Representatives from the Governor’s Office and State agencies remain on site to assist the community in dealing with the closure. For information about State assistance, residents may call the hotline or visit the outreach center. In addition, callers may contact the hotline to provide the State with information about the impact of the bridge closure on their lives. This information will be immensely helpful as the State moves forward in assessing the magnitude of the disruption caused by the closure, determining what temporary and remedial actions can be taken to assist the community and seeking federal assistance to mitigate the impact.
On Monday, State officials met with local leaders at the Crown Point Historic Site to discuss the closure and the impact the lengthy detour would have on commuters, the farming community, businesses, emergency service providers and the general public. Representatives from the Governor’s Office, NYSDOT, State Police, Department of Labor, Department of Health, Empire State Development Corporation, Office of Fire Prevention and Control, Department of Agriculture and Markets and the State Emergency Management Office attended the meeting.
The Lake Champlain Bridge, also known as the Crown Point Bridge, spans the lake between Crown Point, New York, and Chimney Point, Vermont. On Friday, NYSDOT and the Vermont Agency of Transportation decided to close it indefinitely after finding problems with the foundation. The emergency closure was necessary for the safety of those who use the bridge.
NYSDOT is designing repairs and developing a timeline for re-opening. A signed detour is in place that will divert motorists on U.S. Route 4 through Whitehall, New York, and on Vermont Route 22A and 17, a distance of about 100 miles.
