While progress has been made on a number of road projects in Erie County, several readers have raised concerns about the status of the Pavement Road bridge in the Town of Lancaster.

Located near Walden Avenue, the bridge has been the subject of concern by drivers and residents of the area. Last month, the New York State Department of Transportation red-flagged the bridge and restricted traffic on it.

“What’s happening to this bridge?” one reader asked in an e-mail to The News. “The state red-flagged it a few weeks ago.”

Fix It contacted State Sen. Dale Volker’s office Friday, and was referred to the Erie County Public Works Department.

Commissioner Gerard Sentz acknowledged that the bridge had been red-flagged by the state Department of Transportation. But he said it has since been repaired and its status upgraded.

“We just finished a repair on the bridge and posted it back to where it was this week,” he said Friday. “It now has an ‘R’ posting, and the red flag will now be removed.”

The “R” designation means normal traffic can cross the bridge, with the exception of overweight-permitted vehicles. According to a statement from County Executive Chris Collins’ office, repairs included reinforcing a column of the bridge.

Collins’ office said that after the repairs had been made, a load rating was done, and based on scientific analysis, the county was able to raise the posting to allow up to 20-ton vehicles to safely cross the bridge, including small trucks and buses.

Fix It has tackled everything from faulty roads to broken public drinking fountains. Readers may submit suggestions three ways: by writing to Fix It, The Buffalo News, One News Plaza, Buffalo, NY 14203; by e-mail at

fixit@buffnews.com

; or by calling 849-6026. Fix It considers, but is not able to respond to, every suggestion.