‘Several Decades’ of Construction in New York, Hudson Valley Finally Complete

A $135 million infrastructure improvement project in the Hudson Valley and other parts of New York is complete.

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Governor Kathy Hochul announced the completion of the $135 million infrastructure improvement project on a section of the New England Thruway (I-95) in Westchester County known as the "Last Mile." The project began in 2018.

During the past several decades, 14 miles of I-95 in the Bronx, Pelham, New Rochelle, Mamaroneck, Harrison and Rye have been reconstructed.

Hochul stated:

With investments in critical projects like I-95's Last Mile, we are not only helping bolster New York's economy but solidifying our role as a national leader in transportation infrastructure. These corridor improvements are essential in ensuring a safe and reliable highway system for both commuters and visitors to New York.

This project focused on the final one-mile stretch from Exit 22 (Port Chester - Rye - Midland Avenue) to the Connecticut state line, which serves more than 140,000 motorists every day, officials say.

"The completion of the "Last Mile" project on I-95 demonstrates the Thruway Authority's commitment to investing in infrastructure and modernizing our transportation system," Thruway Authority Executive Director Matthew J. Driscoll said. "This stretch of I-95 is one of the busiest on the Thruway and it was long overdue for these needed upgrades to the mainline, the interchange system and local overpasses. With the completion of this project, motorists can now enjoy an improved travel experience in this area."

The project included:

I-95 Reconstruction

• The I-95 mainline (milepost 14.1 to milepost 15.0) in both directions was reconstructed along with safety upgrades such as wider shoulders, updated pavement markings and the installation of guiderails and barriers.

Ramp Upgrades

• The area contains a six-ramp interchange system with the Cross Westchester Expressway (I-287) and Midland Avenue in the City of Rye and Village of Port Chester.
• Several ramps were upgraded and reconfigured to improve traffic flow:
• The I-287 eastbound to I-95 northbound ramp bridge was replaced and realigned.
  The ramp from Midland Avenue was realigned to connect directly to I-95 northbound.
• I-95 southbound was widened to provide a two-lane exit ramp to I-287 westbound.
• Improvements were made to the I-95 northbound/Midland Avenue interchange.

Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation

• The Grace Church Street bridge over I-95 (milepost 14.46) was replaced and opened in Sept. 2020
• The Boston Post Road bridge (milepost 13.71), Purchase Street bridge (milepost 13.48), the Blind Brook culvert bridge (milepost 13.34) and the Byram River bridge (milepost 14.93) were rehabilitated.

Senator Shelley B. Mayer said:

"An incredible amount of planning went into ensuring the construction on this critical, high volume stretch of the Thruway addressed safety and neighborhood concerns. I applaud the Thruway Authority for working with neighbors and municipal officials to make this project as least disruptive as possible, and I am confident they will continue to engage the community moving forward. Congratulations on the completion of the 'Last Mile.'"

Assemblymember Steve Otis stated:

"Congratulations to the Thruway Authority, contractors and workers who have reached a major milestone towards completion of the Last Mile project. This project is one of the largest reconstruction projects in the history of the Authority. It was planned for decades and was needed to address safety and neighborhood concerns. A project of this scale involved disruption to communities, neighborhoods and motorists but from the local perspective the Thruway Authority made adjustments in design and in the construction schedule to address issues raised along the way and continues to work with us on issues that arise. I appreciate the Authority's responsiveness in working with neighbors and municipal officials which I have seen firsthand here and across the state."

Westchester County Executive George Latimer added:

"As someone who has traveled along the New England Thruway for most of my life, I am thrilled to see that we are finally nearing the finish line and completing the "last mile" on this long-awaited project. Having represented this very area since before the project's inception almost 20 years ago, I have witnessed all of the difficulties associated with it as well as the solutions that have followed. This $135 million dollar infrastructure project, including the one-mile stretch from Port Chester and Rye to the Connecticut border, included necessary safety upgrades such as the addition of wider shoulders, updated pavement markings, and the installation of safety guardrails and barriers. I want to thank our partners at the New York State Thruway Authority for their work on several updates related to this project, including the Grace Church Street Bridge and the Boston Post Road Bridge, all of which have impacted Westchester County's commuters in a very positive way."

While no place in the Hudson Valley made the list, the region has received a ton of praise recently.