Overpass removal will close northbound Thruway Jan. 6-7. What to know
Middletown Times Herald- Record USA TODAY NETWORK
The northbound lanes of the Thruway will close between exit 17 in Newburgh and exit 18 in New Paltz for at least 12 hours beginning at 7 p.m. Jan. 6 to allow for removal of an overpass in New Paltz.
The state Thruway Authority announced the planned closure Wednesday.
The closure will allow a portion of the damaged Brookside Road overpass in New Paltz to be safely removed over the northbound lanes, weather permitting.
The Plattekill Service Area also will be closed during the operation. The Thruway Authority said motorists should seek alternate routes during the closure.
Brookside Road overpass has long history of being hit by vehicles
The Brookside Road overpass, which has been closed to traffic since May, has been hit by over-height vehicles nine times this year, and 27 times since 2019.
The repeated collisions have resulted in considerable damage to the steel that supports the overpass and decreased the amount of weight it can safely carry. Thruway and consulting engineers have determined the overpass should be removed in the interest of public safety.
Built in 1954, the overpass had a vertical clearance of 14.2 feet, which has been reduced to 14 feet due to the multiple strikes in both directions, including one on Oct. 30 when its girders above the northbound lanes were hit by a truck hauling a forklift.
What to know about lane closure, detour on Thruway
To limit the impact of the work on Thruway motorists, the work is being planned for Saturday night into Sunday morning, when traffic volumes are at their lowest.
The northbound lanes will close at exit 17 in Newburgh at 7 p.m. Jan. 6 and all traffic will have to exit there. The northbound Thruway in that area will be closed for at least 12 hours and is expected to reopen on the morning of Jan. 7, with traffic reduced from two travel lanes to one travel lane in the construction zone. The second lane will reopen as soon as it is safe to do so.
The northbound detour is approximately 24 miles on local roads. The detour being posted will direct traffic exiting the Thruway to take Interstate 84 east for three miles, then take exit 39 and travel north on Route 9W. After approximately 16 miles, drivers will turn left on westbound Route 299, which they will take for five miles and then reenter the northbound Thruway in New Paltz.
Drivers should expect reduced speeds on routes 9W and 299, and they might encounter heavy delays. Detour
PROVIDED BY NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY AUTHORITY signs will be posted every two to three miles to help those who are unfamiliar with the area. Drivers are encouraged to seek alternate routes if possible and avoid the detour area altogether.
The southbound lanes between exits 18 and 17 will be open during the work, but they are scheduled to close the following weekend, Jan. 13-14, to allow the removal of the overpass above the southbound lanes, weather permitting. Further details on that closing will be provided closer to those dates.