Governor Kathy Hochul has announced the start of a $19.4 million infrastructure project to rehabilitate two aging bridges along the New York State Thruway (I-87/I-287) in the Village of Suffern, Rockland County. Both bridges, originally constructed in the 1950s, will undergo major upgrades aimed at improving safety and extending their service life. The project is expected to be completed by Fall 2026.
Construction activity has already begun, and motorists traveling through the corridor will notice lane shifts throughout the duration of the project. Despite the construction, three lanes of traffic will be maintained in each direction to accommodate the approximately 120,000 vehicles that use this stretch of the Thruway daily.
“My administration is firmly committed to rehabilitating roads and bridges across the state,” said Governor Hochul. “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.”
The rehabilitation will include full replacement of the bridge deck and parapets on the bridge over Route 202 (milepost 29.54), as well as new bridge joints on the span over the Mahwah River (milepost 29.41). Additional improvements include repairing the steel and concrete components of the bridges, enhancing median drainage structures, installing new pavement markings, and constructing new median barriers.
Both bridges are located between Exit 14B (Airmont-Montebello-Airmont Road) and Exit 15 (New Jersey – I-287/NJ Route 17 South), a heavily trafficked area connecting Rockland County to New Jersey. DeFoe Corp. of Mount Vernon, N.Y., is serving as the project contractor.
Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare emphasized the long-term value of the investment, stating, “The Thruway Authority is dedicated to reinvesting toll dollars to modernize its infrastructure. 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.”
State Senator Bill Weber praised the announcement, noting the significance of maintaining regional infrastructure: “Investing in our aging infrastructure is essential. The improvements to these aging bridges on the Thruway are critical and will benefit thousands of commuters who travel them each day. I appreciate the state’s commitment to making these much-needed repairs.”
The project is part of a broader investment strategy by the Thruway Authority, which is allocating $477.3 million in 2025 toward capital improvements across the Thruway system—an increase of more than $33 million from the previous year. The funding will support work on approximately 61% of the Thruway’s 2,800 lane miles and rehabilitate or replace 20% of its 817 bridges.
Funded entirely by toll revenue without reliance on federal, state, or local taxes, the Thruway remains one of the safest and most cost-efficient toll roads in the country. The Authority urges all motorists to adhere to posted speed limits in work zones and to follow the state’s expanded Move Over Law to ensure the safety of highway workers and emergency personnel.