The governor of New York Kathy Hochul has announced the completion of an infrastructure project on the Adirondack Northway, involving a $21.1m investment to replace two bridges over US Route 9 in Warren County.
The initiative, which involved the construction of a new single structure, replaces the former twin spans built in the mid-1960s and is designed to offer stronger resilience against severe weather conditions.
Hochul said: “By investing in roads and bridges we are helping to ensure the long-term health, vitality and economic well-being of our entire state.
“This bridge replacement project along the Adirondack Northway will provide improved mobility for thousands of motorists who travel this vital highway every day and improve the durability and resiliency of one of our most important arteries for the flow of goods and commerce to and from the North Country.”
The new bridge, situated between Exits 22 and 23 in the Town of Lake George, is projected to have a lifespan of 75 years, securing the accessibility of the route for future generations.
The Adirondack Northway, which runs between Lake George and Warrensburg, along with US Route 9, serves as a link for local travel in the North Country and the Adirondacks, as well as an international connection to Canada.
US Senate majority leader Charles Schumer said: “Now, thanks to nearly $19m in federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law I led to passage in the Senate, this investment in North Country infrastructure is enhancing safety, creating jobs and keeping our economy healthy.”
The replacement project, which began in 2022, led to the construction of a 323ft-long, two-span, multi-girder steel bridge with a clearance of over 49ft above US Route 9.
The strategic positioning of the new bridge between the original spans allowed for the maintenance of traffic flow, with two out of three lanes open in each direction for the majority of the project's duration.
New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said: “New York State DOT continues to make historic investments in infrastructure that will keep our communities connected and our infrastructure more resilient to our changing climate.
"This new bridge along the Adirondack Northway will ease travel and help ensure the long-term durability of a vital connector that helps power the economic engines of the Capital Region, the North Country and all points in between.”
The new structure, built using a cement-concrete mixture, contributed to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during its production.
The national Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provided 90% of the funding required for this project.
Earlier in September this year, Hochul announced the allocation of $36m to fund five supportive housing projects across various counties in her state.
