Highland, N.Y. – The New York State Bridge Authority (NYSBA) today announced the start of the full deck replacement project on the north (westbound) span of the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, as well as new traffic patterns that will take effect by mid-December. Once the multi-year project is complete, drivers will experience a brand new road surface while traveling westbound on the span. It represents a major capital improvement in a critical connector for the Hudson Valley and the Northeast.

The north span of the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge is the older of the dual spans and carries westbound Interstate 84 traffic across the Hudson River. First opened in 1963, the last deck replacement took place in the early 1980s, shortly after the south span of the Newburgh-Beacon was opened.

To ensure that the project is completed effectively and efficiently, the Bridge Authority and its contractor have announced a plan to reroute traffic during construction. Most traffic will be routed onto the wider south span, with the exception of westbound traffic coming from Route 9D. By December 15, 2020, the following traffic patterns will be in effect:

• For eastbound traffic coming from I-84: Two lanes, rather than the usual three, will go across the south span of the bridge. Traffic entering I-84 from the Route 9W on-ramp will need to merge into eastbound traffic.
• For westbound traffic coming from I-84: Two lanes from I-84 will be routed toward the south span within the vicinity of the toll plaza. Once on the bridge, eastbound and westbound traffic will be separated by a concrete barrier.
• For westbound traffic coming from Route 9D: Drivers will utilize the exit ramp and stay in the northernmost lane on the north span, which currently functions as a breakdown lane. Bridge Authority maintenance staff will be repaving the breakdown lane during summer 2020 to prepare it for its increased use during construction.

“Our engineering team and contractor believe the traffic plan we have put in place is the best option for keeping traffic flowing while the bridge receives this vital improvement,” said Tara Sullivan, Acting Executive Director for the Bridge Authority. “The Newburgh-Beacon Bridge is a critical connector for the Hudson Valley and the entire Northeast. It will remain that way for decades to come, thanks to this deck replacement.”

The entire deck replacement project at the north span is expected to wrap up by July 2023, with most work expected to take place in 2021 and 2022.

Yonkers Contracting Co. was awarded the project in June. In addition to the deck replacement, Yonkers Contracting will also be putting in structural elements for a future conversion to cashless tolling. The Bridge Authority encourages all drivers to make the switch to E-ZPass in order to save time and money during their travels. Information on setting up an account can be found at www.e-zpassny.com.

The south span of the Newburgh-Beacon had its deck replaced between 2012 and 2014. One difference with the newest deck replacement project will be that the concrete will be poured in place on the bridge, rather than pre-poured panels of concrete being installed on the bridge. This eliminates joints between panels and ensures a better finished product. Another difference from the previous deck replacement project is that traffic will have more room to travel by being able to access the wider south span during the construction project.

Once complete, the deck replacement of the Newburgh-Beacon north span will cap off a decade-long period of several significant improvements to the Bridge Authority’s most traveled crossing. In addition to the south span deck replacement, the Bridge Authority completed a rehabilitation of the I-84 overpass over Route 9W in 2019.  

Traffic updates for all spans operated by the New York State Bridge Authority can be found on NYSBA’s Facebook and Twitter profiles at www.facebook.com/NYSBridge and www.twitter.com/NYSBridge.  

The New York State Bridge Authority

The New York State Bridge Authority operates the Bear Mountain, Newburgh-Beacon, Mid-Hudson, Kingston-Rhinecliff and Rip Van Winkle Bridges. It also owns and maintains the structure of the Walkway Over the Hudson pedestrian bridge. The Authority is funded principally from bridge tolls and receives no state or federal tax monies for bridge maintenance and operation. Learn more at www.nysba.ny.gov.