After years of delays, the Clinton Avenue Bridge may finally be on track for replacement. At its October 14, 2026 meeting, the Ellenville Board of Trustees considered a new approach to overcoming the current obstacle: acquiring a small parcel of land owned by the New York State A.M.E. Zion Church.

The bridge spans the North Gully stream, which flows into Sandburg Creek behind Mill Street Park. Four small parcels at the bridge’s corners are needed to replace its abutments.

The village has successfully negotiated with the owners of three parcels. The fourth, however, belongs to the church. No wrongdoing by the church is implied, and it is unclear why the church owns this small piece of land, but its ownership has complicated the village’s efforts to get the bridge repaired.

Because the property belongs to a religious organization, any sale requires review and approval by the New York State Attorney General’s Office. That process could take as little as six months, but it might take longer.

To move the project forward, Mayor Evan Trent has proposed that the village use eminent domain to acquire the property more quickly.

New York’s Eminent Domain Procedure Law (EDPL) outlines how municipalities and utilities can acquire private property for public use. The process requires a public hearing and written notice to the property owners. The municipality must also make an offer based on 100% of the property’s appraised value, reflecting its “highest and best use.”

Trent estimated that the eminent domain process could take three or four months, potentially allowing the village to acquire the parcel faster than it could through a sale requiring review by the Attorney General’s Office.

The proposal prompted a cynical response from at least one Clinton Avenue resident, who suggested it might be another 10 or 20 years before the bridge is repaired.

Trent acknowledged how long the process has dragged on but made clear that he remains committed to moving the project forward and finally replacing the bridge.