Route 23 bridge in Prattsville closed

The state Department of Transportation shut down the bridge over the Schoharie Creek on Route 23 in Prattsville on Monday evening, and it is unclear when it will be open again. An alert from the DOT states only that the bridge is closed "until further notice."

The Daily Mail reports that a state inspector discovered a critical fracture in a bottom truss during the ongoing repainting of the bridge:

“It’s the kind of thing that could bring the whole bridge down,” said New York State Department of Transportation regional structure management engineer Doug Daniels.

Daniels was sent to the scene late Monday afternoon after the 1/8 inch deep crack was reported by DOT inspector Dennis Smith, who is overseeing the grit blasting and repainting of the structure.

Daniels interrupted a meeting of the Prattsville Town Board to inform Town Supervisor Kory O’Hara of the situation, at around 7:30 Monday night, and Prattsville Fire Chief Tom Olson quickly spread the word to firefighters and emergency rescue personnel.

The damage is not Irene-related, state officials told the Daily Mail.

The Associated Press reports that the DOT may know more today about how long the repairs will take:

The state Department of Transportation says the bridge is expected to be closed for several days and possibly longer. Inspectors will do a structural analysis Tuesday to determine what repairs need to be done before the bridge can be reopened.