MEDIA ADVISORY

• by New York State Department of Transportation

ALBANY, NY (12/24/2009)(readMedia)-- Crown Point, NY Due to space limitations and safety issues, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) announced last week that it was necessary to for media to be credentialed to gain access to the media location at the Lake Champlain Historic Site to view and record the demolition of the Lake Champlain Bridge.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL MEDIA CREDENTIALING REGISTRATION HAS CONCLUDED. Members of the media who have not pre-registered for credentials may still view and record the demolition of the Lake Champlain Bridge from the Port Henry location.

ALL pre-registered media must present a valid photo ID upon arrival at the Bridge Road checkpoint to pick up their press identification. As previously announced, there will be no on site media registration.

Media is again advised to plan for bitterly cold weather by dressing warmly and is strongly urged to bring ear protection as the blast is expect to exceed 130 decibels. Please plan for heavy traffic. Parking at the Historic Site will be limited: Satellite Trucks will be given access to the parking lot on a first-come, first-serve basis. All other vehicles will be permitted to park along the roadway, according to parking attendant directions, which will mean a short walk to the viewing area.

A safety zone of 1,000 feet has been established for land access and the Federal Aviation Association (FAA) has established a 2,000 foot no-fly zone. Access to certain roads also will be restricted to ensure public safety. For their protection, the public is required to abide by the safety zones. The United States Coast Guard (USGS) has established a water safety zone of at least 1,000 feet on either side of the bridge. No vessels, vehicles or persons are permitted within this area without approval from the Captain of the Port, Coast Guard Sector Northern New England. This safety zone is in effect from 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, December 20, 2009 until Thursday, April 15, 2010, to allow the channel to be cleared of debris. Any questions regarding the safety zone should be directed to the Coast Guard Sector Northern New England Command Center at 207-767-0302.

A live broadcast of the bridge demolition will be available on the Internet. The public may be advised that they can watch the demolition live demolition from the comfort of their homes or offices from https://www.nysdot.gov/lakechamplainbridge or www.nysdot.gov/webcast on Monday morning, December 28. A live satellite link will also be provided for media who would prefer to download it, rather than send a crew to Crown Point. A press release with these coordinates will be issued on Sunday, December 27.

The following road closures will be put into place:

Bridge Road will be closed to traffic at 7 p.m. on Sunday, December 27, at the entrance to the Crown Point Historic Site and east of Lake Road (County Road 48) except for credentialed persons. Local residents will be allowed past the closure point upon presentation of identification that specifies their address. The closure will stay in effect until 5 p.m. on December 28.

Bridge Road at Route 9N and Lake Road at Burdick Road will be closed beginning at 5 a.m. on Monday, December 28. At these two locations, local residents will be allowed to proceed upon presentation of identification that includes their address.

In addition, Harbor Lane will be closed at Bulwagga Bay Road effective Wednesday, December 28 at 5:00 a.m. until traffic has been cleared following bridge demolition.

As of this Advisory, the demolition is still planned for 12/28/09 at 10:00 AM. However, it is strongly advised that credentialed media check their e-mail for the latest information before heading to the bridge demolition as credentialed media will receive a final confirmation e-mail.

Further information can also be obtained at https://www.nysdot.gov/lakechamplainbridge.

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