Lake Street Bridge Replacement Scheduled For Spring

NEWBURGH – Senator James Skoufis (D-Hudson Valley) joined local officials on Monday to announce $1 million in new state funding to kick off the long-awaited replacement of the dilapidated, “temporary” bridge on Lake Street in the City of Newburgh. The funding will be distributed as part of a new program that will reimburse New York’s small cities for work performed on state-owned roads. The City of Newburgh is home to several state-owned roads, including NY-17K, NY-207, and NY-32, otherwise known as Lake Street.

For longtime residents, the saga of the Lake Street Bridge replacement may be familiar. Since severe structural deficiencies were discovered in 2014, multiple attempts to repair the bridge over the years have fallen short, resulting in a nearly nine-year “temporary” replacement which has long outlived its useful life and overstayed its welcome. As a member of the Senate Committee on Transportation, Senator Skoufis worked closely with the committee’s chairman, Senator Tim Kennedy of Buffalo, to establish the City Touring Routes Program, a brand new initiative, which will now reimburse small cities like Newburgh for hosting state-owned roads. Unlike towns and villages, cities are required to maintain state-owned roads within their boundaries.

“One of my earliest commitments when I was first elected to represent Newburgh in the State Senate was that we’d replace the Lake Street Bridge once and for all,” said Senator Skoufis. “I’m thrilled to announce that, thanks to this new funding, construction meetings are kicking off this very week. Working alongside my partners in government, we delivered this long-awaited outcome that improves quality of life as well as provides a far more welcoming entrance to the city for residents and visitors alike.”

“As Chair of the New York State Senate Transportation Committee, I’ve personally toured thousands of roadways across New York State, and I’ve seen firsthand the severely deteriorated state of our major thoroughfares,” said Senator Tim Kennedy. “In fact, a recent report from TRIP found that throughout New York, nearly half of major locally and state-maintained roads are in poor or mediocre condition, which underscores just how important it was for us to create the State Touring Routes program and significantly increase our other road funding programs. We know our infrastructure is essential to a thriving economy, and as we continue to Build Back Better from the COVID-19 pandemic, true, substantial investment is critical. This record funding will allow the City of Newburgh to repair local, heavily trafficked roads and bridges that are in dire need of attention and rehabilitation and will have a direct impact on improving roads that drivers rely on every day.”

“Route 32/Lake Street is an important thoroughfare connecting New Windsor to the City of Newburgh,” said Assemblymember Jonathan Jacobson. “I was dealing with this problem when I was on the City Council. When I first arrived, the City was renting a bridge and then bought this bridge as a temporary fix. The current bridge was never meant to be permanent, so I am pleased that the funding is now available to finally replace this decaying temporary structure with a safe, reliable new bridge that will keep travelers safe and traffic flowing smoothly in and out of Newburgh.”

“I am so proud of our partners at the state level, Senator Skoufis and Assemblymember Jacobson,” said City of Newburgh Mayor Torrance Harvey. “They are truly moving things in our State Legislature to get our city revitalized! This permanent bridge replacement is just another great example of our complete collaboration. This new bridge, along with new water and sewage utilities and infrastructure, is exactly what’s needed to fit our ten year master plan on revitalization.”

Construction is expected to begin this spring, with a full replacement completed by the end of 2022.