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Suffolk County is cutting public access at Smith Point County Park starting Monday night.
The move comes as officials step up monitoring of traffic over the troubled Smith Point Bridge, which was slapped with new weight limits over the weekend after state inspectors found structural deterioration.
Beginning at 7 p.m. on Monday, the park will operate daily from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. until further notice, county parks officials announced. All visitors — including fishermen and those on the outer beach — must exit the park by 7 p.m.
This new schedule applies to the outer beach and all fishermen, as well.
Typically, the park doesn’t close.
A county spokesman confirmed the hours are being tightened so authorities can better monitor traffic over the Smith Point Bridge while engineers continue evaluating its condition.
The update comes on the heels of a routine NYSDOT inspection that revealed structural issues significant enough for Suffolk County to immediately post a three-ton weight limit on the bridge, which serves as the lone roadway link between the mainland and Fire Island’s eastern end.
County officials said the Department of Public Works is now working closely with state transportation engineers on a more in-depth analysis and to determine available options to safely raise the bridge’s load rating.
The restrictions are expected to remain in place as Suffolk County continues long-term planning for a full bridge replacement — a project local leaders have said is critical to ensuring safe access for residents, beachgoers and emergency services.
Officials did not give a timeline for when regular park hours or bridge operations may be restored.
Top: GLI file photo
