Video shows hole in Fire Island Inlet Bridge roadway, marking latest problem for the span
The video, which has garnered thousands of shares and reactions on social media, captures a section of missing concrete on the span leading to Robert Moses State Park.
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A new video is raising fresh concerns about the condition of Long Island’s aging infrastructure after dramatic footage showed a gaping hole in the roadway of the Fire Island Inlet Bridge.
The video, which has garnered thousands of shares and reactions on social media, captures a section of missing concrete on the span leading to Robert Moses State Park. In the footage, water from the Great South Bay can be seen moving beneath the bridge through the exposed opening.
The concrete surface is gone in the affected area, leaving only steel rebar visible.
“You can see the rebar and if you dropped a set of keys, it’s going down into the water,” said Artie Pinto, of Babylon, describing his reaction to the video.
Repair crews could also be seen working on the bridge.
According to a spokesperson for the New York State Department of Transportation, the video was taken Thursday. By Friday, the agency said, the bridge was operating normally.
This is not the first time the bridge has come under scrutiny.
In July, the span was briefly shut down after a boater reported seeing a piece of concrete fall from the north side of the bridge. The DOT inspected the structure at the time and said there was no evidence that concrete had fallen. Officials determined the bridge was structurally sound and safe for travel.
Inspection reports dating back to 2020, however, have documented deteriorating conditions, including cracks in the concrete.
On Friday, visible repairs could be seen on the north side of the bridge, where crews appeared to have addressed the most recent damage.
Still, some drivers remain uneasy.
“If that area can be that bad you have to be suspect about the rest of the bridge,” Pinto said. “If that is that bad in that one spot I would guess somebody better give it a second look — the entire bridge.”
The DOT spokesperson said the latest damage was likely caused by recent severe weather and the freeze-thaw cycle, which can worsen cracks and cause concrete to break apart. The agency maintains that the bridge is safe for motorists.
A planned rehabilitation project for the Fire Island Inlet Bridge is expected to begin next year.
