Photo: Owaki/Kulla / The Image Bank / Getty Images
The New York State Thruway Authority has commenced a $7.8 million bridge replacement project at Exit 21 in Catskill. The project, announced last Thursday (April 10), aims to replace the 71-year-old interchange bridge, which sees approximately 4,800 vehicles daily. The new bridge will feature wider shoulders, a new barrier with a snow fence, and improved vertical clearance and riding surface. It is expected to have a service life of 75 years.
During construction, the bridge will remain open but traffic will be limited to one lane. According to the Thruway Authority, when construction pauses for the winter, the temporary traffic light will be removed, allowing two-way traffic to resume. Work is scheduled to continue in the spring of 2027, with the project anticipated to be completed by fall 2027.
Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare stated, "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 most affordable superhighways in the nation." The bridge replacement is part of a broader $2.8 billion capital plan for 2026 to 2030, which includes replacing or preserving 150 of the Thruway’s 819 bridges and resurfacing more than 1,500 of its 2,800 lane miles of highway.
Motorists are advised to drive at 30 mph in the construction zone, with fines doubled for speeding. The Thruway Authority has invested over $162 million in Capital Region projects since 2024. For more details, visit the Times Union and NEWS10.