The New York State Thruway Authority has been chosen to receive a $21 million Bridge Investment Program grant to help restore the state’s historic Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge.
The grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration Bridge Investment Program will used to augment the cost of the second phase of the restoration which will involve replacing the eastbound bridge deck, repairing steel and improving safety elements, according to an April 13 news release from the office of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.
“Here in New York, we’re rehabilitating the 63-year-old Castleton-On-Hudson Bridge, long in need of repair,” Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg wrote in an April 13 Twitter post. “This will save $13.5M in maintenance costs and improve safety and travel time for the nearly 17,000 vehicles that cross it daily.”
The $47.6 million rehabilitation project was initiated in 2021 to replace the westbound travel lanes, repair the eastbound travel lanes, replace the center median and undertake repairs to the bridge's steel, according to a 2021 release. The project is the first significant rehabilitation of the driving surface since 2009.
The projects aims to extend the bridge's service life by 50 years as the more than 60-year-old structure has reached a point where a substantial capital investment is necessary to ensure its longevity, according to the governor's release. The project is expected to begin in the spring of 2024.
The Castleton-On-Hudson Bridge, often referred to as the Castleton Bridge, is a significant infrastructure in New York State, according to the New York Thruway Authority. The iconic blue steel bridge opened to traffic in 1958 and measures approximately one mile in length, connecting the Berkshire Spur section to the Thruway's mainline. Around 17,000 vehicles cross the bridge daily.
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has given us the opportunity to address critical infrastructure needs across New York State,” Hochul said, according to her release. “I thank President Biden for his commitment to investing in New York and Secretary Buttigieg for supporting this project to restore the Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge, modernize our transportation system and strengthen this vital economic corridor.”
