Town of Wallkill Highway Superintendent Lou Ingrassia announced that the town has received a $4.328 million grant under the Bridge NY Grant Program for the rehabilitation of the Midway Road Bridge, which is the main entrance to the Tetz Asphalt and Concrete Facility.

The grant is part of a $516 million package awarded for 216 projects in 141 communities across New York State.

“New York State is making historic investments to modernize our infrastructure and we are committed to working with our partners in local government to help ensure that their bridges and culverts are ready to meet the challenges of global climate change,” Governor Kathy Hochul said last week. “The Bridge NY program provides essential funding directly to local governments to enhance the safety, resiliency, sustainability and reliability of local infrastructure, allowing more than 140 bridges to better withstand extreme weather events and keep New Yorkers safe.”

The Midway Road Bridge is a four-span steel girder bridge over the Wallkill River constructed in 1967. This is one of the largest span bridges in Orange County not owned by Orange County.

In April of 2021 the concrete overlay started to fail on two spans of the bridge. The concrete has begun to delaminate from the bridge deck causing large holes in the concrete deck leaving the bridge in need of significant repairs.

In an effort to minimize the effect on our taxpayers, Public Works Administrator, Michele Baker, looked for grants to offset the cost of the necessary repairs. The Bridge NY Grant Program required only a 5% match from the Town but was a Statewide grant making the application process very competitive.

“Michele was responsible for writing the grant and submitting the application to the State,” Ingrassia said. “We have been told by members of the application review committee that our application was one of the best submitted!”

Other funded projects include:
$2.538 million to Orange County to replace the decking on the Bloomburg Road bridge over Plattekill Creek.

$1.495 million to Orange County for the replacement of the Lower Road culvert carrying the tributary to the Wallkill River, Orange County.

“We are committed to working with our partners in local government to help ensure that their bridges and culverts are ready to meet the challenges of global climate change,” Hochul said.