4 months ago
Two months after the August floods, Town of Otto residents like Gemma Muscia continue to deal with the lingering aftermath.
"We cannot get through. If anything should happen we have no way in or out," said Muscia. "The bridge is completely down... so we're stuck," she added.
The North Otto Road Bridge collapsed during the floods, leaving drivers in town with only one way out.
"Take 17 miles down to Springville one way," said Muscia.
That 17-mile detour is the daily struggle Otto residents have been with coping with the best they can.
"There's absolutely no way that any type of rescue can get up here other than the Otto Fire rescue, and we need something more equipped here in case something happens with an injury on farm equipment or horseback riding," said Muscia.
The once 36-foot-long bridge over Cattaraugus Creek not only saved time but money.
"It's been very hard. Very hard to get out of here and it's very stressful for a lot of my neighbors who have to go to work, everyday, Monday through Friday, take that extra drive and fill up their gas tank at the price of gas and it's exhausting," said Muscia.
2 On Your Side contacted Cattaraugus County Public Works Commissioner David Rivet and he says he understands it's a mess for Otto residents and a 60-foot replacement structure will be constructed by mid-November, before the snow hits.
Rivet says the County has had to jump hurdles to get approval from FEMA, the State Emergency Office and local funds to order bridge pieces. The total cost to replace the bridge is $1.3 million.
