The Millbrook Borough Council voted 6–1 Tuesday night to approve $4.2 million in repair funding for the Elm Street rail bridge, ending a fight over the project's cost that had stalled it for two budget cycles.
The bridge, which carries traffic over the Conrail line connecting the east side neighborhoods to downtown, has been closed since October 2020, when an inspection found corrosion in its supporting beams. Since then, residents east of the tracks have faced a ten-minute detour to reach Main Street businesses, a school, and the county health clinic.
"This has been the single most requested fix in every town hall I've held since I took office."
Council President Marta Alvarez, who pushed the funding package through after two failed votes in 2024 and 2025, said the added cost — up from an original $2.8 million estimate — reflects steel price increases and a redesign to widen the pedestrian walkway.
Construction is expected to begin in November, with the borough targeting a reopening by late spring 2027. The project will be funded through a mix of a state infrastructure grant and a bond the council authorized last spring.
Some residents at Tuesday's meeting questioned whether the borough could have moved faster. "Six years is a long time to ask people to drive around," said East Side resident Tomás Reyes during public comment. Alvarez acknowledged the delay but said engineering and funding approvals from the state took longer than expected.
The borough plans to hold a community meeting in early October to walk residents through the construction timeline and expected detours.