Crown Point bridge: Governor Paterson says "state of emergency" likely

(10/21/09) Speaking yesterday with North Country Public Radio, Governor David Paterson said he "would anticipate" that a state of emergency will be declared following closure of the Crown Point bridge. Paterson said he was still consulting with state officials and planned to speak with Vermont Governor Jim Douglas. "This has become an emergency," said Governor Paterson. "We're going to treat this situation as a priority."

Meanwhile, Vermont's Transportation Secretary David Dill issued a disaster declaration. According to the Associated Press, Dill said the declaration could help get federal help and re-prioritize state money to help repair or replace the bridge between Addison Vt. and Crown Point, N.Y.

Gov. Paterson said the DOT would have a plan for resolving the traffic crisis in the Champlain Valley within 10 days. But he also called for "an investigative" review of how transportation officials handled the bridge repairs. DOT had assured locals that the bridge was safe and would remain open, before reversing their opinion on Friday.

The state has also said that a permanent fix for the aging bridge wouldn't be finalized until 2013. Governor Paterson said that he would now push for "an accelerated solution." Many motorists are now forced to detour 50-100 miles. The bridge closure has affected hundreds of people in New York and Vermont who work on opposite sides of Lake Champlain.