Exclusive: Engineer reviews Ponquogue Bridge inspection report
Pictures from the inspection show water damage, crumbling concrete and rusted steel within the girders that hold up the bridge’s span.
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The inspection report that forced the shut down of the Ponquogue Bridge in Hampton Bays has been analyzed by civil engineering expert Rigoberto Burgueño, chairperson of Stony Brook University’s Civil Engineering Department.
Pictures from the inspection show water damage, crumbling concrete and rusted steel within the girders that hold up the bridge’s span. Burgueño explained the damage was largely caused by an issue from above—specifically, the bridge's failing expansion joints.
“The biggest concern, something identified in the report, is the condition of the expansion joints,” Burgueño said. These joints, typically made from rubber or plastic, are designed to keep harmful materials from seeping underneath the bridge. However, on the Ponquogue Bridge, the joints are severely damaged and leaking.
“These joints degraded and now debris, including de-icing chemicals, water, starts seeping through and it seems to be a contributor to corrosion," said Burgueño.
In response to the inspection findings, the bridge was temporarily closed last month, with a 5-ton weight limit now in place following its reopening.
Drivers using the bridge have expressed concern over its condition.
"It’s worrying, that’s all I can say," one driver told News 12.
Repairing the bridge will be a complicated and expensive process.
Burgueño noted that the process would involve removing the damaged concrete and replacing the steel bars that have corroded.
Suffolk County officials are working with engineers and the state to develop a long-term plan to repair the Ponquogue Bridge. However, the timeline for the necessary repairs remains uncertain.
