In response to the increasing severity of weather conditions and the deterioration of infrastructure, officials in New York have committed to providing substantial assistance to local governments, specifically targeting urgent bridge and culvert problems. In Rockland, two projects will benefit from these grants.
The state’s BRIDGE NY initiative, which has now allocated a total of $60.1 million for the Hudson region, aims to strengthen local communities in New York and enhance the resilience of its infrastructure. Additionally, the initiative seeks to equip these communities with the necessary tools to mitigate the effects of climate change. Moreover, it addresses the extensive list of deteriorating bridges and culverts that require immediate attention.
The projects in Rockland receiving funding are as follows:
1. Rockland County will receive $928,000 to rehabilitate the Pascack Road bridge over Pascack Brook.
2. The Town of Orangetown will receive $2.911 million to replace the Margaret Keahon Drive bridge over Muddy Brook in Pearl River.
According to the latest report from the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, one in three bridges in the United States requires significant repairs or replacement. This report also ranks New York as 12th in terms of the percentage of structurally deficient bridges. Notably, Rockland is the only county in New York, outside of New York City, that has bridges listed among the 200 Most Traveled U.S. Structurally Deficient Bridges. These include bridges such as Interstate 87 over Route 303 and Interstate 87 over Route 59 WB, Rte 59.
