Work is set to begin on three highway and bridge construction projects in upstate New York worth $30 million in total that will provide travelers with enhanced safety and smoother rides on several key roadways.
[Above photo by NYSDOT]
The New York State Department of Transportation said this multi-project endeavor will replace aging bridges, resurface roadways, and make other improvements along highways in Franklin, Onondaga, and Niagara counties – part of a broader effort to restore roadways across New York State.
“We are moving full speed ahead with vital investments that will help build back our infrastructure to reconnect communities and meet the demands of the 21st century,” Governor Kathy Hochul (D) said in a statement.
“These highway and bridge projects will ensure the smooth flow of people and goods along vital travel arteries … which will further economic growth and make life easier for the tens of thousands of motorists who travel these routes every day,” she added.
“New York State continues to make historic investments in infrastructure that will connect communities, improve quality of life, and push our economy forward,” noted Marie Therese Dominguez, NYSDOT commissioner.
“These improvements to critical roadways will enhance safety for both pedestrians and motorists, improve travel conditions, and bring the infrastructure up to modern standards in these three counties,” she said.
Other states are also involved in major infrastructure initiatives as well.
For example, the North Carolina Department of Transportation hosted a groundbreaking ceremony in Asheville for the I-26 Connector, a long-anticipated project that will connect I-26 south of Asheville with U.S. 19/23/70 north of the city, creating a continuous interstate connection between the mountains of western North Carolina and the Port of Charleston, SC.
“This project has been a long time coming,” said Daniel Johnson, NCDOT secretary, in a statement. “The I-26 Connector reflects years of planning, collaboration, and community input. When complete, it will improve how people and goods move through this corridor while better connecting Asheville’s communities and supporting future growth.”
Meanwhile, the Tennessee Department of Transportation recently completed Phase II of the I-75 at I-24 Interchange Modification, marking a major milestone in improving one of the most heavily traveled corridors in the state.
Phase II completes the work that began in Phase I to widen and modernize the interchange, which serves as a critical connector for freight, regional travel, and daily commuting in and around Chattanooga.
In Connecticut, Governor Ned Lamont (D) announced major progress on the ongoing I-91, I-691, and Route 15 interchange reconfiguration project – including the on-time and on-budget completion of phase one, continued advancement of phase two, and the start of phase three.
Phase two, which has been underway for two years, remains on track for completion by 2028, while the full three-phase program is expected to be complete by 2030.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation said in a statement that the cost of the first phase is $83.7 million and is entirely funded by the state, while the second phase is supported by $50 million in state funding and $200 million federal funding.
The third and final phase will follow a similar model, the agency said, with approximately 80 percent federal funding and 20 percent state funding – with the total cost for all three phases combined is anticipated to be more than $712 million.
