Kent Footbridge Dedicated

From left are Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne, Kent Highway Superintendent Richard Othmer, Assemblyman Matt Slater, Kent Town Board member Shawn Boyd, Town Supervisor Jaime McGlasson, and Town Board members Anne Campbell and Christopher Ruthven – with a few future leaders – during the unveiling of a sign commemorating the new “Lake Carmel Veterans Memorial Bridge” at South Terry Hill Road.

A walking bridge that was completed last year in Lake Carmel was dedicated Nov. 11 during Veterans Day commemorations.

According to Kent Highway Superintendent Richard Othmer, the “Lake Carmel Veterans Memorial Bridge” on South Terry Hill Road stands as a symbol of connection, community, and the strength that veterans represent every day.

The project – valued at about $150,000 – was made possible through partnership with the University at Buffalo Civil Engineering Department. It replaces the old bridge which had its two 6-foot-diameter culvert pipes washed out on six separate occasions spanning 40 years, most recently in 2023 during major storms.

According to the Mid-Hudson News, Othmer applied for reimbursement through the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the $729,000 bridge project, but the town was only granted $689,000.

However, when he discovered that a bridge compatible with the town’s needs was being constructed at the University at Buffalo, he entered an essay contest explaining why the bridge was needed and how it would be used.

And he won!

The bridge was shipped to Kent, where it was installed last November.