Governor Hochul Announces Start of $38.2 Million Project to Complete Thruway’s Restoration of the Historic Castleton on Hudson Bridge Over Hudson River in Albany and Rensselaer[...]

Governor Hochul Announces Start of $38.2 Million Project to Complete Thruway's Restoration of the Historic Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge Over Hudson River in Albany and Rensselaer Counties

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the start of a $38.2 million bridge superstructure rehabilitation and resiliency project on the historic Castleton-On-Hudson Bridge over the Hudson River connecting Albany and Rensselaer counties. The project is the final step in the Thruway Authority's restoration of the more than one-mile blue cantilever truss bridge that is traveled by more than six million vehicles per year and is a vital economic gateway for tourism and commercial traffic traveling from New England into New York State and beyond.

"The Biden-Harris administration understand the importance of investing in infrastructure to boost and maintain economies, both locally and across the country," Governor Hochul said. "The Castleton Bridge is among the thousands of bridges in New York crucial for transporting people and goods. I appreciate the Thruway Authority and our federal partners for their support and efforts toward modernizing our transportation system."

The project is being partially funded by a $21 million federal grant that was awarded to the Thruway Authority in April 2023 for their 2022 grant application to restore the Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge as part of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration Bridge Investment Program.

Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare said, "With the support of our federal partners at the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Castleton Bridge will continue to serve millions of drivers for decades to come. This project will significantly prolong the superstructure's lifespan and by utilizing the grant funding, it enables the Authority to allocate resources to other vital transformative projects throughout the state."

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer said, "The Castleton-On-Hudson Bridge is a vital gateway in the Capital Region connecting Albany and Rensselaer counties and the New York State Thruway to the Berkshire Spur and the Massachusetts Turnpike, but its deteriorating infrastructure has put Upstate travelers at risk and hindered economic development. I fought to increase funding for the federal Bridge Investment Program when I crafted my Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law with improvements like this in mind. Now, this program is delivering millions in federal support, the final push needed in this project to extend the service life of the bridge by over 50 years, boosting the Capital Region economy and giving travelers a safer, more secure commute. I'm grateful for Governor Hochul's partnership in ensuring this bridge is ready and safe for people to use."

Representative Congressman Paul Tonko said, "For the past several years, I've been proud to push for federal funding to upgrade our Capital Region's critical infrastructure and ensure the safe and efficient movement of people and goods across our region. That's why today, I'm thrilled to celebrate the beginning of the final stage of the restoration of the historic Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge. This project, along with other infrastructure updates across New York State, will provide significant benefits for our local commuters, small business, and our entire regional economy. Investments in our bridges help strengthen the vital connections that keep our communities thriving and moving forward, and I'm eager to see how the completion of this project will support Capital Region residents for years to."

Assemblymember William Magnarelli said, "Investing in our Thruway, specifically the Castleton-on-Hudson, reinforces New York State's commitment to protecting and enhancing our statewide infrastructure thereby strengthening economic development and our quality of life. The safety improvements and renovations will benefit both residents and those visiting the area by improving the reliability of the Thruway."

Opened in 1958, the Castleton-On-Hudson Bridge, more commonly referred to as the Castleton Bridge, connects the Berkshire Spur section to the Thruway's mainline (I-87), and carries traffic over the Hudson River as well as Schodack Island State Park. The Castleton Bridge stands approximately 135 feet above the Hudson River and includes 43 segments and more than 364,000 square-feet of concrete decking.

The first stage of the project is now underway and includes the construction of two crossover areas that will allow for a traffic shift beginning in the spring of 2025, as well as work under the bridge.

In the spring of 2025, eastbound traffic entering the Berkshire Spur from the Thruway mainline (I-87) will be shifted to the westbound lanes of the bridge while construction crews remove and completely replace the eastbound bridge deck. During this stage, all traffic on the Castleton Bridge will remain reduced to one travel lane in each direction. The traffic shift is expected to be in place through the fall of 2025.

The project also includes steel repairs to girders and truss members, replacement of bridge bearings and safety upgrades including bridge rail replacement, new highway signs, mile-post delineators, reflective pavement markings and milled-in audible roadway delineators (MIARDs).

DA Collins Construction of Wilton, New York was selected as the contractor for the project after a competitive bidding process.

The project is expected to be complete in Summer 2026.

Over the last three years, the Thruway Authority has invested approximately $85 million into the restoration of the Castleton Bridge. In 2023, a $47.6 million project was completed on the Castleton Bridge which included the deck replacement of the westbound travel lanes, repairs to the deck on the eastbound travel lanes, replacement of the center median and bridge steel repairs. The project was the first major rehabilitation to the driving surface of the Castleton Bridge since 2009. The massive steel trusses were repainted in 2016 and maintenance was regularly performed by Thruway Maintenance crews to prolong the lifespan of the driving surface. With the completion of these two projects, the anticipated service life of the superstructure will be extended by approximately 50 years.

Motorists are urged to be alert and follow the posted work zone speed limits. Fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone.

To further enhance safety for workers in a work zone, Governor Hochul signed legislation establishing the Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement pilot program. The safety enforcement program began in April 2023 and is in effect in various active construction zones on the Thruway. Work zones with speed camera enforcement will have clear signage leading up to it and motorists violating the posted speed limit within the work zone will be fined.

Thruway Authority Federal Grants

The Authority has applied for and secured more than $64 million of federal funding from competitive grant programs funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law since 2021.

In April 2024, the Thruway Authority was awarded a $39 million federal grant for infrastructure enhancements at the South Grand Island Bridges in Western New York. The original Grand Island bridges were constructed in 1935 and will undergo strengthening and essential upgrades to make them more resistant against seismic loading caused by an earthquake.

The Authority continues to pursue all eligible grant funding opportunities. A full list of grant applications and results can be found here.

About The Thruway Authority

The Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway, built in the early 1950s, is one of the oldest components of the National Interstate Highway System and one of the longest toll roads in the nation. The maintenance and operation of the Thruway system is funded primarily by tolls. The Thruway Authority does not receive any dedicated federal, state or local tax dollars and is paid for by those who drive the Thruway, including one-third of drivers from out-of-state.

The Thruway is considered one of the safest roadways in the country with a fatality rate far below the nationwide index, and toll rates are among the lowest in the country compared to similar toll roads. The Thruway's base passenger vehicle toll rate is less than $0.05 per mile, compared to the Ohio Turnpike ($0.06 per mile), the New Jersey Turnpike ($0.11 and $0.31 per mile) and the Pennsylvania Turnpike ($0.14 per mile).

The Authority's 2024 Budget invests a total of $451 million to support its Capital Program, which is expected to invest $2.4 billion into capital projects over the next five years - a $500 million increase following the enacted toll adjustment that went into effect on January 1, 2024. The increased investment will lead to work on approximately half of the Thruway's more than 2,800 lane miles as well as projects on approximately 90 of Thruway's 817 bridges.

For up-to-date travel information, motorists are encouraged to download the mobile app which is available to download for free on iPhone and Android devices. The app provides motorists direct access to real-time traffic and navigation assistance while on the go. Travelers can also visit the Thruway Authority's interactive Traveler Map which features live traffic cameras. Motorists can also sign up for TRANSalert e-mails, which provide the latest traffic conditions along the Thruway.

For more information, follow the Thruway on Facebook, X and Instagram, or visit thruway.ny.gov.

Contact the Governor's Office