$7.8 million Thruway bridge replacement begins in Catskill

CATSKILL―The New York State Thruway Authority announced on Thursday the start of a $7.8 million project to replace the 71-year-old Interchange 21 bridge over I-87.

Approximately 4,800 vehicles per day travel over the bridge.

“The Thruway Authority is reinvesting its toll revenue directly into capital projects that enhance the safety and reliability of the system,” Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare, Esq. said.

“The Interchange 21 bridge connects thousands of motorists on the Thruway in the Catskill area, and these investment projects maintain the Thruway as one of the safest and affordable superhighways in the nation,” Hoare added.

The new bridge will have an anticipated service life of 75 years. The project includes wider shoulders, an improved riding surface, a new barrier with a snow fence on the bridge and an increased vertical clearance from 14 feet 3 inches to 16 feet 11 inches to enhance safety and reduce the chance of bridge hits.

The Interchange 21 bridge will remain open to traffic during construction utilizing a temporary traffic light for one-way traffic on the bridge.

When construction pauses for the winter, the Thruway Authority says the traffic light will be removed and there will be one lane open in each direction for traffic. Work will then resume in spring of 2027.

HVB Construction, Inc. of Harriman is the project contractor following a competitive bidding process. The project is expected to be completed in the fall of 2027.