Major Orange County Road Closing for 36 Hours This Week

A busy Orange County route will shut down for 36 hours this week as crews make important improvements.

Drivers traveling through the Newburgh area will need to plan for a detour beginning Wednesday, October 21.

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According to the New York State Department of Transportation, Route 52 will close at Interstate 84 at 7am and remain closed until Thursday, October 22, at 7pm, weather permitting. The shutdown will affect Wednesday’s commute and both rush hours on Thursday as well.

The closure affects the Route 52 crossing over I-84 in the Town of Newburgh, at the Exit 37 interchange. Drivers will be unable to travel across the overpass during that window. The announcement identifies the closure as Route 52 “at Interstate 84,” but does not specify the exact barricade locations or which interchange ramps, if any, will be affected. Motorists are being directed to follow the posted detour.

The bridge construction on Route 52 has been underway since 2024. The span, originally built in 1963, is part of a three-bridge rehabilitation project that also includes crossings in Rockland and Westchester counties. The state’s original project announcement outlined new bridge decks and road surfaces, along with structural repairs designed to extend the bridges’ lives and reduce future maintenance.

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Drivers have already dealt with changing traffic patterns during the work. In June, the DOT announced that traffic would shift to the west side of the Route 52 bridge as reconstruction continued. This week’s closure, however, will be a much bigger disruption, temporarily shutting down all traffic for two days.

Anyone who normally takes Route 52 through this interchange should allow extra time and watch for detour signs. Check 511NY before heading out for updated road conditions and any changes to the closure schedule.