Pilings Signal Start Of New Smith Point Span

The new Smith Point Bridge construction project reached one of its first major milestones as pilings arrived by barge, setting the stage for work to begin on the new span.

Suffolk Legislator Jim Mazzarella, who championed the project along with County Executive Ed Romaine, said crews expect to begin driving the pilings in early October.

“I’m hoping by the end of the year we have 140-plus piles in the ground to start actually erecting the bridge,” Mazzarella said.

Crews are building a work platform at the site, allowing construction to take place from a stable surface rather than relying primarily on barges, which Mazzarella said can be inefficient and more expensive.

Motorists will see a temporary traffic shift near the Shirley Marina, just north of the bridge site, as construction advances. Southbound traffic approaching the bridge will be moved to the west side, with one lane operating in each direction for a short stretch to separate vehicles from the work zone.

The replacement project calls for a 1,812-foot fixed span west of the existing drawbridge built in 1959, with more than 55 feet of clearance above the water and a protected shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists. The fixed design, about the same size as the Ponquogue Bridge in Hampton Bays, will allow marine traffic to pass underneath without stopping motorists.

Romaine has made replacement of the deteriorating bridge a priority, saying that the new crossing will serve Smith Point for decades to come.

According to Mazzarella, the project is on schedule, with construction expected to conclude in 2028. “It’s going to be a very exciting time,” he said.