$19.4M I-87/I-287 Bridge Rehab Project Is Now Underway

SUFFERN, NY — Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Monday that work is underway on a $19.4 million project to rehabilitate two aging bridges on the NYS Thruway.

The work is focused on the I-87 and I-287 bridges in the village of Suffern. Starting this month, drivers will encounter lane shifts during construction. Three travel lanes in each direction will be maintained at all times through this critical corridor, with an estimated 120,000 vehicles traveling it daily.

Both bridges are located on I-87 between exit 14B (Airmont - Montebello - Airmont Road) and Exit 15 (New Jersey - I-287 - NJ Route 17 South). Initial work began last fall on the bridges, both of which are at least 70 years old and about a tenth of a mile apart. This part of the Thruway also serves drivers and commercial vehicles traveling to and from New Jersey on I-287 via Exit 15.

"My administration is firmly committed to rehabilitating roads and bridges across the state," Hochul said. "This investment will help enhance safety, ensuring a smoother ride for the tens of thousands of regional travelers who use this vital Thruway corridor each day."

Contractor crews will repair concrete substructure and steel superstructure, and completely replace the concrete deck and parapets with precast concrete deck panels on the bridge over Route 202. New bridge joints will be constructed on the span over the Mahwah River. Other improvements will include rehabilitating median drainage structures, building new median barriers and installing new pavement markings.

Signs in the area will advise drivers of lane shifts. Drivers are urged to be alert and follow the posted speed limits in work zones.

The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026, by DeFoe Corp. of Mount Vernon.

"The Thruway Authority is dedicated to reinvesting toll dollars to modernize its infrastructure," Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare said. "These bridges have served us reliably over the decades and we are undertaking efforts to ensure they remain safe and dependable for the tens of millions of motorists who use them each year.