The Ponquogue Bridge connecting the main part of Hampton Bays to Dune Road, opened in 1986 and on Feb. 21, 2025, after nearly 40 years, it was temporarily shut down due to a crack in its foundation.
Long Island locals were sad to see the Ponquogue Bridge shut down due to deterioration found on the western side’s girders. However, the bridge was not shut down for long. It reopened nearly two weeks later on March 4, 2025 with restricted access. Restrictions include a weight limit of five tons and only allowing ambulances with special permits on the bridge.
While Locals are glad to see the bridge re-opened there are still some concerns that arise with its reopening including what happened between when damage was first noticed during a routine inspection in Oct. 2024 when no significant structural issues had been noted and the February inspection was when the bridge developed its worse cracks.
During a visit on Monday, March 10 during sunset, there was no indication of anyone monitoring and enforcing the tonnage limit. When driving towards Dune Road the median at the peak of the bridge has been repainted to shift the lane towards the left to avoid the deterioration pressure points. When reaching out to Town of Southampton officials to find out some more information The Tide was directed to Ryan Murphy, the Southampton Town Code Compliance & Emergency Management Administrator. Murphy informed The Tide that the Southampton Town Police were enforcing the weight restrictions and have even stopped “at least a vehicle or two who have failed to adhere to the limit.”
Murphy also stated that while Suffolk County has put the repair of the Ponquogue Bridge on an emergency basis, it still looks as though the limitations will hold up through the summer season. On an optimistic note for Hampton Bays High School seniors he did note that, “I am very optimistic the annual graduation parade will still be able to occur.”
The happenings of Ponquogue Bridge were clearly a surprise to many, but over time with all the repairs it should go back to what it once was.
