NORWICH – There are six in-use bridges in Chenango County, or 18 percent, that have been rated deficient by the state’s highway department. They are designated a level 4 out of 7, with the higher number representing a new bridge.

The spans are: Red Mill Hill bridge in the Town of Norwich, East Hill Road bridge in the Town of Sherburne, Tucker Road bridge in the Town of Smithville, county Route 32 bridge in the Town of Oxford, Spring Street Bridge in the Town of Afton and the Halfway House bridge in between the towns of Norwich and Oxford. The latter two bridges are closed indefinitely.

The general condition rating is based on a bridge’s weight capacity and the condition of its deck, guide rail, steel and undertruss. The NYSDOT inspects bridges rated 5 and above every two years and those rated 4 and below every year.

The Halfway House bridge, or county Route 32B, was shut down last Friday after inspectors flagged six faulty areas. (The bridge is inspected annually, not every two years as was previously reported.) Chenango County DPW Director Randy Gibbon said it had been cited for two reasons upon inspection last year, both of which were addressed.

“Things happen with a high volume bridge,” he said of the recent action. “We knew there were problems with the fascia beams and the deck. Now there are new problems with them.”