Morning Read: Champlain bridge opening, celebration delayed

The Burlington Free Press reported this week that celebrations planned for this October to inaugurate the new Champlain bridge in Crown Point will be delayed until next May.

“It is difficult to plan and execute a celebration of this magnitude when the opening date of the new bridge is an unknown,” said [Karen] Hennessy, co-chairwoman of the volunteer Lake Champlain Bridge Community and owner of Sugar Hill Manor bed and breakfast in Crown Point, N.Y.

According to the Glens Falls Post Star, the opening date for the bridge were thrown into question by last spring’s epic rains, which raised Lake Champlain to historic levels.

Staff from the state and contractor, however, are negotiating a possible extension given because of spring flooding, [DOT spokeswoman Carol] Breen said. The extension could, at the very least, affect the overall completion date or even the earlier opening date.

This past winter, the contractor requested and received an extension when construction efforts hit an underwater obstruction, Breen said.

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