Hamilton Fish Bridge Construction Complete

Roadway construction on the Newburgh-Beacon bridge is complete -- and all lanes reopened this week.

Rhe project was part of a state-wide effort, the Governor’s New York Works program, to rebuild aging infrastructure to make it better and more resilient than before.

“This bridge is vital to the Mid-Hudson region, and these improvements will ensure less congestion and smoother travel for years to come,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a prepared statement Oct. 20. “This project is another step in the progress we have made in rebuilding significant infrastructure projects that will support economic activity and keep this region on the move.”

In addition to the new deck panels, structural steel supporting the deck was strengthened and a polyester concrete overlay was added to protect the bridge deck.

With a payroll of approximately $50 million, the project created several hundred jobs over the past two and a half years. During full construction, approximately 90 workers were on site at the bridge with a number of others at the steel fabrication facility and the concrete panel plant.

The Newburgh-Beacon Bridge carries Interstate 84 across the Hudson River. Approximately 67,000 vehicles cross both spans of the bridge each day amounting to about 25 million vehicles annually.

“The early completion of the work done on the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, is a real win for commuters and visitors alike,” said state Senator Sue Serino. “While the construction made travel inconvenient at times, improving our infrastructure needs to remain a high priority to keep things working effectively and safely for residents. I commend the Governor for helping to improve quality of life here in the Hudson Valley.”

Work began in the summer of 2013 with the first panels installed in October. The construction bid was awarded to Kiska Construction on January 31, 2013 for $93,118,000. The award was increased $1,587,076 to complete additional work in 2015.

In 1997, the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge was ceremonially renamed the “Hamilton Fish Newburgh-Beacon Bridge” in honor of Hamilton Fish (1808-1893), who served as New York Governor, US Senator and United States Secretary of State, and for the five generations of the Fish family who represented the Hudson Valley in Congress, the State Legislature and the Presidential Cabinet from the Lincoln administration through the 1990’s.

The New York State Bridge Authority owns and operates five Hudson River vehicle crossings and is responsible for the maintenance of the Walkway Over the Hudson Railroad Bridge park. The Bridge Authority received no state or federal highway money and is self-sufficient for maintenance and operations. The Authority let 15-year bonds to finance the construction and will repay those bonds through the toll revenue it collects.

“This was the largest single project undertaken by the Bridge Authority in its history,” Bridge Authority Executive Director Joseph Ruggiero said. “We are pleased with the success and the positive impact it will have on the region for many years to come. I thank Governor Cuomo for his focus on rebuilding this state’s infrastructure and look forward to completing more projects.”

There’s still a little more to be done:

Removal of the under-bridge safety system and replacement of the overhead gantries will also be completed with minimal disruption over the next few weeks.

PHOTO: Doc Searls via Wikimedia Commons