The Fire Island Inlet Bridge is now undergoing a scheduled, month‑long inspection — an annual review that state officials say was planned before a viral video showing a large hole in the bridge deck sparked public alarm.
Engineers are using specialized lifts suspended from trucks to examine the underside of the span, which connects to Robert Moses State Park.
Although the inspection was already on the calendar, it comes over a month after video circulated online showing a hole in the bridge deck large enough to see the water below. The hole remains covered by a metal plate.
Inspection reports dating back to 2020 have documented rusted steel supports, cracking concrete, and exposed rebar. Still, the New York State Department of Transportation maintains that the bridge remains safe and that the current inspection is part of its routine maintenance cycle.
Earlier this month, DOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said harsh winter weather has taken a toll on road surfaces statewide. She reiterated that the agency would not hesitate to close the bridge if it posed a danger to drivers.
Because of the heavy equipment required for the inspection, weekday lane closures will continue from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The work is expected to last about a month.
Michael Shenoda, a civil engineering technology professor at Farmingdale State College, says inspectors will be examining “all different elements of the bridge” and need to get “really in close to the connecting elements” to properly assess its condition.
With beach season approaching, many drivers say they want reassurance that the span is secure. “Got my grandkids — they went fishing and they’re going to want to go to the beach, so we want to be safe,” said Joe Abbondolo of Bay Shore.
The bridge is scheduled for refurbishment next year, and officials say the data collected during this inspection will help determine the scope of that work.
