ALBANY, NY — Putnam County highway drivers are set to see some construction over the next couple of years, thanks to a $24.5 million highway project that will replace two bridges connecting the westbound side of I-84 to the southbound side of I-684 in Southeast, Gov. Kathy Hochul's office announced Monday.
According to the governor's office, the project will replace a pair of 59-year-old bridges along a ramp between the highways, bringing in wider models that will "enhance safety and ensure continued smooth travel" along the Hudson Valley corridor.
"This project is yet another example of our ongoing commitment to make critical infrastructure investments throughout the Hudson Valley that focus on the needs of our communities, move our economy forward, and improve quality of life," Hochul said. "By replacing these outdated bridges, we are modernizing a key junction that New Yorkers depend on every day, ensuring that people and goods remain on the move and that our communities continue to grow and prosper."
Hochul's office said one of the bridges runs over 84 while the other runs over 684. Both of the bridges will be outfitted with extra shoulder room and higher clearance — 16 feet, 6 inches, to be exact — a size that the governor's office said reduces the likelihood of bridge strikes.
"As the Department of Transportation plans and builds for the future, we are using every tool in the toolbox to drive innovation and create more resilient structures that modernize New York's transportation network while creating a more sustainable environment for all of us," DOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said.
Officials said drivers along both highways could expect "several overnight closures" once demolition work on the existing bridges begins, but that the ramp should be open for travel with lane shifts while work proceeds. The governor's office did not say when demolition on the existing bridges would take place, but said that the new bridge over 684 is expected to be completed in 2027. As for the new bridge over 84, the governor's office said it should be open for travel by 2028.
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