Route 787 to be made safer
Work will begin on $10.7 million project
COHOES, N.Y. >> Motorists and pedestrians traveling down Route 787 in the Spindle City will soon begin to see construction taking place with the goal of making the dangerous stretch of highway that runs through the city safer for all.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently announced that work will begin this month on a $10.7 million project to convert Route 787 in Cohoes, Albany County, into a boulevard, creating a welcoming, pedestrian-friendly gateway to the Spindle City.
The project will restore the connection between the east and west sides of the City of Cohoes with a roadway featuring updated crosswalks and a landscaped me- dian. Construction is scheduled to be completed by the end of next year.
“This transformative project on Cohoes Boulevard combines smart urban planning with significant safety enhancements that will make Cohoes better for residents and visitors,” Cuomo said in a release. “Making it easier to cross between the east and wide sides will open up new business opportunities and reconnect neighborhoods, spurring regional
growth and economic development for years to come.”
Last year, Cuomo announced the conversion project, which will address Route 787 through the city limits, from just south of Dyke Avenue to just south of the approach to the Cohoes Waterford Bridge. This area of Route 787 is known locally as Cohoes Boulevard and has seen several fatalities over the years in, including 16-year-old Brittany Knight in 2016.
“We worked tirelessly to secure the money necessary to change 787 and I think many people have tried year after year after year and we are just very fortunate that we were able to get the money,” said Cohoes Mayor Shawn Morse on Tuesday afternoon. “Now knowing the project is actually going to start, just gives me some great relief, I had many sleepless nights worrying about 787, especially during the school year.”
The redesign of Route 787 adds raised pavement to its three intersections in the city -- at Dyke Avenue, Bridge Avenue and Ontario Street. A first for the Capital Region, the “terraced” intersections will increase visibility for pedestrians and motorists, and will slow motor vehicle speeds with a gentle- but-noticeable, four-inch rise and descent on the road surface. Both the approaches to the intersections and the crosswalks will be brick red. The color contrast and raised elevations will help alert drivers to pedestrians. Narrower shoulders, new curbs, “your speed” radar signs, and a slight horizontal shift for traffic heading northbound toward Dyke Avenue also will encourage motorists to drive more slowly.
Once the traffic-calming project is completed, the speed limit is expected to be reduced from the current 40 miles per hour. The project will also include two pull- off areas in each direction for police vehicles to park for traffic safety enforcement.
The project will also add a tree-lined grassy median and a multi-use path, contributing to the gateway feel. The 10-foot wide multiuse path along the east side of the road will connect with new, dedicated bicycle lanes on Dyke Avenue as part of the Empire State Trail and its connection to the Mohawk-Hudson Bike- way.
Furthermore, the pedestrian enhancements at the road’s three intersections will help bolster the connection for all those who cross the boulevard for work, school, shopping and more between Cohoes’ Van Schaick Island and Simmons Island neighborhoods on the east and the downtown, Cohoes Hill and the Harmony Mills neighborhoods on the west.
For pedestrians, six-foot wide refuge islands at the median with pedestrian signals and push-buttons will be added at each of the three intersections and the distance across each intersection will be reduced:
• At Dyke Avenue, the crossing distance will be reduced from 93 feet to 70 feet.
• At Bridge Avenue, the crossing distance will be reduced from 82 feet to 70 feet.
• At Ontario Street, the crossing distance will be reduced from 96 feet to 73 feet.
“The anticipated completion of the Cohoes Boulevard project is exciting news for the Cohoes community,” said Assemblyman John McDonald. “Having served as the former Mayor of Cohoes to my current position as the Assemblymember for the city, I have seen this process from start to finish and truly appreciate the partnership between state and local officials that has led to the completion of this important safety measure. The new Cohoes Boulevard will be a thoroughfare that takes into account all road users and is a complement to the growth that Cohoes has experienced and the development that will continue.”
“I am pleased to have supported this project and excited that construction is beginning. This will make the roadway safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists alike and will be an exquisite entrance into the historical City of Cohoes,” added state Sen. Neil Breslin.
New lighting will also be added to the Dyke Avenue intersection; lighting already exists at the other two intersections. The project will also add a new sidewalk connection to the Waterside Senior Apartments on Dyke Avenue.
“It’s a great day for Cohoes, it’s a great day to know that we’re going to be safer because of everybody’s hard work and I’ll be really excited when it’s completed and done, said Morse.