Work On Rte 304 Bridge Over Thruway Begins Soon

NEW CITY, NY — Work is getting underway on a state $17.4 million project to rehabilitate three highway bridges in the Hudson Valley, including one in Clarkstown.

The three bridges — along State Route 52 in Orange County, State Route 304 in Rockland County and Illington Road in Westchester County — serve thousands of motorists each day and are widely used by commuters to reach the region’s major highways as well as many of the area’s most popular destinations. Each of the bridges being rehabilitated is more than 50 years old, state officials said.

The Route 304 bridge over Interstate 287 is, in fact, 71, having been built in 1953.

Work on the three bridges includes the installation of new, fully continuous and jointless bridge decks that will reduce long-term maintenance costs, create a smoother ride and increase the overall life span of the bridges, state officials said. Additional improvements include new road surfaces, steel girder repairs, pier replacements, concrete abutment repairs and utility work. Warm mix asphalt with recycled crushed glass will also be utilized and other materials onsite will be recycled and reused as applicable.

“By investing in infrastructure, we are ensuring that our communities stay connected and that they are ready to meet the challenges posed by climate change,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in an announcement about the work.

Work has already begun on the State Route 52 and Illington Road bridges, Construction will get started on the State Route 304 bridge in the coming months. The project is expected to be completed by the summer of 2026, state officials said.

Shoulder closures will occur along Interstate 84, the Taconic State Parkway and Interstate 287 to accommodate construction. Additional traffic changes include:

• State Route 52 and State Route 304 will be reduced to one lane in each direction.
• The Illington Road overpass will be closed to traffic.

“Route 304 is a major thoroughfare through Rockland County and the surface that runs over the NYS Thruway is always a problem," Assemblymember Kenneth Zebrowski said. "I am excited that Governor Hochul and the DOT are identifying infrastructure projects like this that are in desperate need of rehabilitation and making critical investments. This work will make a noticeable difference for thousands of Rocklanders a day who use Route 304 to get around the County.”