State to Upgrade Bridge over Rockland Lake Outlet

New York will spend $1.875 million on the bridge that takes Route 9W over the Rockland Lake outlet in Clarkstown.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the funding as an expansion of the state’s Bridge Scour Program.

“As we continue to adjust to the new reality of severe weather, it is imperative that we reimagine our infrastructure to be more resilient to flooding, deterioration, and other hazards caused by major storms,” Cuomo said in a press release. “These bridges serve as a transportation lifeline for New Yorkers and commercial shipping in communities across our State, and rebuilding them now means investing in their future for years to come. I applaud FEMA for approving this funding and helping us build a stronger New York State.”

The purpose of the bridge-scour program is to upgrade and enhance resiliency of 105 scour-critical and flood prone bridges to ensure they are protected from future threats of repeated flooding as well as increase hydraulic openings and elevate bridges to two feet above Base Flood Elevation.

Bridge scour erodes and carries away foundation materials such as sand and rocks from around and beneath bridge abutments, piers, foundations and embankments. Upgrading these bridges will ensure access to emergency services during and after flood events as well as reduce the risk of flooding where bridge openings cause rivers and streams to back up.

The Route 9W bridge in Clarkstown is one of 29 named in the latest round.

All of the bridges included in the 105-bridge scour program were built to the codes and standards of their time and remain safe and open for everyday traffic. Due to a variety of severe weather events and the increasing frequency of major storms and floods, however, they are now vulnerable to scour caused by the intensity and velocity of water from extreme natural events, officials said.

The bridges were identified by the State Department of Transportation as the most at-risk from repeated instances of flooding with a focus on structures in the Capital District, Long Island, Mid-Hudson, Mohawk Valley, North Country, Finger Lakes and Southern Tier regions.