Ponquogue Bridge, linking Hampton Bays to Dune Road, set to reopen for limited travel

County officials are planning to reopen Ponquogue Bridge to limited traffic early next week following a weeklong closure, restoring access between mainland Hampton Bays and Dune Road.

The concrete bridge built in 1986 was shut down after a New York State Department of Transportation inspection on Feb. 20 revealed structural “deterioration of the concrete girders,” department spokesperson Stephen Canzoneri previously told Newsday.

Suffolk County, which owns the bridge, will reopen the crossing to vehicles up to 5 tons, bicycles and pedestrians starting next week, Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine announced Friday. The bridge will be open to travel in both directions in the easternmost lane.

The bridge is an artery that links Hampton Bays to a portion of Dune Road, a long stretch of ocean beaches, restaurants and commercial fishing businesses, where flooding has been a frequent issue.

The guidelines would also give special permits for ambulances up to 14,500 pounds, county officials said.

In a statement Friday, Romaine said the Ponquogue Bridge is “critically important to emergency services, business” and local residents. “We needed to find a way to open the bridge as quickly as possible,” Romaine said.

The county Department of Public Works worked with the state DOT on the reopening plan, which will change the traffic pattern and shift the travel lanes eastward. Crews are expected to place barriers and temporary lane markings next week, officials said.

Ryan Murphy, Southampton Town’s emergency management administrator, said in an interview Friday that reopening the bridge is a “huge step in the right direction” for emergency response to the area, though fire trucks and large commercial fishing fleets still pose concerns due to their weight.

Murphy said the Hampton Bays Fire Department has a plan in place for mutual aid with East Quogue to cover portions of the district accessible from the west.

“Hopefully we’ll see that the bridge returns to its full capacity sooner than later, because you’re adding 5.4 miles onto travel time for response from the western side of town,” Murphy said Friday.

The state DOT will continue inspections of the bridge to assess its condition, officials said.

“So for anybody that has any kind of concerns or trepidation, it is going to be a monitored project,” Murphy said.

Romaine said the county plans to hire an emergency engineer for permanent repairs to the bridge, which has a 40-ton capacity. “Public safety is paramount, and we need to ensure our first responders can serve their communities,” he said.

Officials did not provide a timeline for completing the repairs.

Murphy said the town is already bracing for disruptions to the busy summer season.

“At least part of, if not the whole season will be impacted by this,” he said. Ponquogue Beach gets between 100,000 and 150,000 visitors each summer, Murphy said.

The town is not planning to close the beach but is making alternate plans for programs and events typically held there.

Vehicles up to 20 tons can also access Dune Road using Post Lane Bridge in Quogue, and vehicles up to 40 tons may use Beach Lane Bridge in Westhampton Beach.