SKANEATELES - Plans to fix a problematic bridge aren't as concrete as they were a few months ago.

The Skaneateles Town Highway Department pushed back its target date to begin replacing Sheldon Road Bridge. State bridge inspectors issued a warning in September to the town that it would have to begin exploring fixing structural flaws on the bridge.

Highway Superintendent Jim Card aims to begin replacing one abutment and the bridge's top portion next spring. Originally, Card wanted to start the project this summer and finish by the autumn.

However, the bridge will require more work than Card thought. State inspectors issued a yellow warning flag for the one-lane bridge because of small holes in the steel, rusted through the webs of the infrastructure. The holes measure 1 inch by 2 inches. Further examinations show that the bridge needs one abutment reinforced, as well.

Another hitch requires the town get a permit from the Department of Environmental Conservation because the bridge crosses the trout stream Skaneateles Creek. Card said the town likely could get a DEC permit to deal with the bridge by late August. That would translate to crews working into the fall - pushing back road repairs and other regular work.

This delay will allow the town to apply for governmental funding to help fund the undertaking. C & S Companies engineer Doug Wickman said the town has a couple possible approaches.

“The options are to repair it or to replace it using town funds, or replace it using state and federal funds if we manage to successfully get those funds,” Wickman said.

He estimated the project may total $160,000 in materials alone, with engineering and equipment costs in addition of that figure.

The town board's consensus was to try for a federal grant.

This option would make the project more expensive because the design would have to follow federal standards. For example, the road currently spans 20 feet wide. National guidelines would require the bridge to span 24 feet wide for two 12-foot lanes.

Wickman suggested that grants could pay between 85 and 95 percent of the costs.

However, the bridge may not receive high priority because it is still functional, and has only about 400 trips each year.

“I have to say because the bridge is actually in pretty good condition, it's not likely to get funding this year or next,” Wickman said. “But in time, as it gets worse - not to say it will be unsafe, as it's nearing its useful life, you are more likely to go up in the rankings. It's not guaranteed you'll get the funding.”

However, Card was hesitant to wait too long before tackling the structure's weaknesses. Two other bridges were flagged by the state, but Sheldon was the only one with structural reasons.

The board agreed in October to a temporary five-ton weight limit for Sheldon Road until crews fix the bridge. Now that the timeline was pushed back, board members agreed earlier this month to extend the weight limit for the bridge indefinitely.

Card wants to take care of the Sheldon Bridge now because it needs the most attention.

“We have three bridges that are the same nature, same structures, basically the same age, and the number (of cars) are relatively the same. My biggest concern is that if we wait too long, we'll be looking at three bridges right in a row quickly, Card said. “If we don't get the funding, we're looking at some big funding.”