Steel Installation To Begin On Meadow Hill Road Bridge Over Thruway (I-87) in Newburgh Next Week

Nightly Left Lane Closures in Both Directions Will Be Required to Safely Facilitate Work 

Multiple Thruway Traffic Stoppages Will Occur Overnight to Erect Steel for New Bridge

Work is Expected to Last Four Nights, Weather Permitting

Motorists Should Leave Extra Time If Traveling on the Thruway

The New York State Thruway Authority today announced nightly lane closures and traffic stops will take place on the Thruway (I-87) in both directions in Newburgh starting Monday, Nov. 17, to safely facilitate overhead work activities for the new Meadow Hill Road bridge. This includes the installation of 14 steel girder sections, which range from 86 to 120 feet in length.

The left lane in both the northbound and southbound directions will be closed to traffic from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. from Monday, Nov. 17, through Thursday, Nov. 20, in the area just north of exit 17 (Newburgh - Scranton - I-84 - NY Routes 17K & 300). State Police will also stop traffic multiples times in both directions after 11 p.m. to allow contractor crews to safely erect steel. Each traffic stop is expected to last no longer than 20 minutes. 

All work is weather permitting and Friday, Nov. 21, will serve as a rain date.

With traffic reduced from two travel lanes to one travel lane through the construction zone, drivers should expect delays and may want to consider using alternate routes.

Variable Message Signs on the Thruway and surrounding highways will advise motorists of the upcoming work.

Construction on the $7.8 million project to replace the Meadow Hill Road bridge has largely taken place during the day, however some activities require the work to be done at night. This approach limits the impacts to traffic and facilitates safety for the project’s workers and motorists.

With an anticipated service life of 75 years, the new bridge (located at milepost 60.95) will carry an 11-foot-wide travel lane in each direction, a 6-foot-wide shoulder on the south side and a 5-foot-wide shoulder with a sidewalk that will be 5 feet 5 inches wide on the north side. The project will improve the riding surface, install new bridge railings, and raise the bridge’s vertical clearance over the Thruway from 14 feet 3 inches to 16 feet 10 inches to enhance safety and reduce the chance of bridge hits.

The project is expected to be completed in Summer 2026.

Harrison & Burrowes Bridge Constructors, Inc. of Glenmont, N.Y., is the project contractor.

Motorists are urged to be alert and follow the posted work zone speed limits. Fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone.

For up-to-date travel information, motorists are encouraged to download the mobile app which is available to download for free on iPhone and Android devices. The app provides motorists direct access to real-time traffic and navigation assistance while on the go. Travelers can also visit the Thruway Authority's interactive Traveler Map which features live traffic cameras. Motorists can also sign up for TRANSalert e-mails, which provide the latest traffic conditions along the Thruway.

The lives of Thruway Authority employees, roadway workers and emergency personnel depend on all of those who travel the highway. Motorists should stay alert and pay attention while driving, slow down in work zones and move over when they see a vehicle on the side of the road. The State’s Move Over Law, which was expanded in March 2024, requires drivers to slow down and move over for all vehicles stopped along the roadway. Safety is a shared responsibility.

For more information, follow the Thruway on Facebook, X and Instagram, or visit the Thruway website.

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