The bridge that crosses the Keuka Outlet located on State Route 14A has been closed since September 12th, 2011, and is planned to be rebuilt and reopened in June of 2012 according to New York State Dept of Transportation.   Traffic has been detoured around the bridge and unfortunately is causing some delays through the downtown Penn Yan area.  On a positive note, traffic is down during this part of the year, being that the summer vacationers are not around.   Weekend drivers  however can still find it troublesome to get over the outlet with increased traffic to the wineries and to the Windmill Farm and Craft Market that is still open. 

 

Local residents are getting used to changing their driving habits, and most just want to see the bridge completed.   Even though the other side of the bridge is accessible via the Main St bridge, you are left with a feeling that you just can not get to the other side, at least not in the same amount of time.  Times to avoid when wanting to do business on the other side are during normal commute times ( early morning and 4-5 PM ) and of course the lunch hour. It does get a little rough when large limos (used in transporting wine tasters to the various wineries ) and tractor trailers try to negotiate the tight turning options in the downtown intersections.  I have also noticed that drivers are clogging the intersections, so when the light turns green for you, there is still traffic in the intersection from the previous light.

 

Lets just hope that the state planners will be replacing  the bridge with a structure that will conform to increasing traffic, as well as the ability to do bridge repairs on only half of the bridge versus taking the entire bridge down next time.  Thankfully the residents of Penn Yan had another bridge to utilize during this rebuilding process.

 On a side note:  Everyone is still waiting to see what will be opening up in the builing you see in the left of the shot, the old Garrett Winery building, that is being restored by Cindy Rosato and her husband Vince.  They have already made a positive visual impact in the Village of Penn Yan.  Kudos to them and the progress they are making.