Fire Island Inlet Bridge is 'safe for travel' after inspection, state DOT says
An aerial view of the Fire Island Inlet Bridge on Tuesday. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
The state Department of Transportation has completed its inspection of the Fire Island Inlet Bridge and determined it to be safe for motorists and marine traffic, following a report late Sunday of concrete falling from the span.
The chief engineer of the department, Stephanie Winkelhake, said on Wednesday officials have conducted a detailed inspection of the bridge, including an examination of the top and bottom of the deck, over the past four days.
The team also examined the structure from below, she said.
"While we will continue to monitor the condition of the bridge, our engineers have determined that the bridge remains safe for travel and will remain fully open for vehicular and marine traffic for the foreseeable future," Winkelhake said in a statement.
The department has not been able to determine whether anything fell from the bridge, she added.
The bridge, which connects Jones Beach Island to Robert Moses State Park, was closed to vehicular traffic after a report on Sunday of a falling object, Newsday previously reported. It reopened on Monday, though traffic was intermittently impacted as the department conducted its inspections.
A state parks official previously told Newsday a fishing boat captain reported on Sunday that concrete fell from the bridge.
Department engineers conducted an initial inspection Sunday night and another Monday morning before reopening the bridge Monday afternoon. A third inspection was conducted Tuesday into Wednesday morning, with travel reduced to one lane.
All traffic restrictions were lifted Wednesday.
The bridge provides the only vehicular access to Robert Moses State Park, which remained open following the incident. It was built in 1962 and last inspected in May 2024, according to a state database. That inspection found its condition was "not poor," meaning it scored higher than four on the state's nine-point rating system.
Newsday's Peter Gill contributed to this story.
Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.
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