GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCES $13 MILLION BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT IN GREENE COUNTY IS UNDERWAY
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that work is underway on a $13 million project to replace the Prattsville Bridge carrying Route 23 over the Schoharie Creek in Greene County. The project is part of the Governor's $542 million Empire Bridge Program, a key piece of New York's commitment to rebuilding critical infrastructure.
The Prattsville Bridge over the Schoharie Creek, which was built in 1927, was damaged by Hurricane Irene in 2011 and closed for four days for unrelated steel repairs in 2012. The new bridge will be built adjacent and downstream of the existing bridge and approximately 4.5 feet higher. It will allow for a wider opening underneath the bridge, which will provide for greater water capacity to prevent future flooding. The new bridge will have wider shoulders and will include a sidewalk. Some initial work on the bridge may begin later this summer, with most of the work expected to occur in 2018 and be completed in 2019.
The Prattsville Bridge project also includes the replacement of the smaller Route 23 bridge over the Huntersfield Creek and the replacement of two culverts on Route 23 near Greene County Route 2. As part of a larger $17 million infrastructure project underway in the region, an additional $4.1 million investment will replace the Route 42 bridge over the West Kill in the town of Lexington and the Route 296 bridge over the East Kill in the town of Jewett.
Temporary traffic signals are expected to be installed this month to accommodate traffic during the project to replace the Route 23 bridge over the Huntersfield Creek near the Prattsville Diner. Work on the Huntersfield Creek bridge is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year.
In Lexington, signage has been installed and trees have been removed so that a temporary bridge can be built to carry Route 42 over the West Kill. Construction of temporary bridge approaches has started. The temporary bridge itself is expected to be in place in June and will be used in conjunction with traffic signals to carry alternating lanes of traffic. The existing Route 42 bridge will be demolished and a new one built in its place, with the new bridge scheduled to be open by the end of this year.
In 2018, work will begin on the replacement of the Route 296 bridge over the East Kill in Jewett. A temporary bridge will be built to carry traffic during construction, with a new Route 296 bridge scheduled to be open by the end of 2018. Work to replace the two culverts on Route 23 near County Route 2 is also expected to begin this month, with traffic controlled by temporary signals.
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