Monthslong I-87 Bridge Replacement Project Gets Underway This Afternoon

NEWBURGH, NY — A yearlong project to replace a key Hudson Valley bridge gets underway on Friday the 13th.

The New York State Thruway Authority has announced the start of a $7.8 million project to replace the Meadow Hill Road bridge over the NYS Thruway (I-87) in Newburgh.

The 72-year-old bridge will be replaced with an entirely new structure. The Meadow Hill Road bridge will close to all traffic on Friday afternoon and will remain closed until the summer of 2026. The new span will be wider, a sidewalk added, and have a higher vertical clearance to enhance safety, according to the Thruway Authority.

"The Thruway Authority is continually investing its toll dollars back into our 570-mile superhighway network to make sure our roads and bridges meet the needs of the future," Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare said. "The replacement of Meadow Hill Road bridge over the Thruway in Orange County will improve the overall travel experience for the thousands of motorists who use it each day."

There will be two signed detour routes, each utilizing state and local roads, including South Plank Road (State Route 52), Union Avenue (State Route 300), State Route 17K, Monarch Drive, and Fletcher Road. Both of these detour routes are shorter than five miles. Approximately 4,100 vehicles travel on the Meadow Hill Road bridge daily.