The Cayuga County Legislature made the correct decision last week when, by a 10-2 vote, it approved transferring bridge replacement funds funneled through the state Department of Transportation to the Haiti Island bridge.

But the legislators who expressed reservations also made strong points. In order to have the Haiti Island bridge replaced, the county had to agree to push back a previously planned replacement project for High Bridge on the Mentz/Montezuma line. The expectation is that funds will be there down the road for that project, but nothing is ever guaranteed. In the end the right decision was to help the residents of Haiti Island, who have no other means to cross the Seneca River with their automobiles in order to get to and from their homes. There are alternatives for travelers who would use High Bridge, which crosses railroad tracks.

The situation, however, illustrates how important it is for officials of all levels in Cayuga County to stay on top of bridge repairs and fight vigorously for as much state and federal funding as possible. Because of the mostly rural landscape, most of the county's bridges have relatively low traffic counts. And it's figures like traffic counts and population that get attention of policymakers in Albany and Washington.

It took considerable effort on the part of state and local officials - notably state Sen. Michael Nozzolio - to arrive at the remedy for the Haiti Island bridge. Still, the ideal solution would be for Gov. Eliot Spitzer to declare an emergency and for state Department of Transportation to find new money.

But with only about 60 residents affected by the closure and with the low use the bridge gets, that appears unlikely. It's not right, but it's reality.

Going forward, it's crucial that village, town, city and county officials take a hard look at the bridges for which they have responsibility, and start working on long-term plans to ensure they're never in a position like the residents of Haiti Island.