Senator James Skoufis (D-Woodbury) joined local officials on December 20 to announce $1 million in new state funding to kick off the long-awaited replacement of the dilapidated, “temporary” bridge on Lake Street in the City of Newburgh.
The funding will be distributed as part of a new program that will reimburse New York’s small cities for work performed on state-owned roads. The City of Newburgh is home to several state-owned roads, including NY-17K, NY-207, and NY-32, otherwise known as Lake Street.
For longtime residents, the saga of the Lake Street Bridge replacement may be familiar. Since severe structural deficiencies were discovered in 2014, multiple attempts to repair the bridge over the years have fallen short, resulting in a nearly nine-year “temporary” replacement which has long outlived its useful life and overstayed its welcome. As a member of the Senate Committee on Transportation, Skoufis worked closely with the committee’s chairman, Senator Tim Kennedy of Buffalo, to establish the City Touring Routes Program, a brand new initiative, which will now reimburse small cities like Newburgh for hosting state-owned roads. Unlike towns and villages, cities are required to maintain state-owned roads within their boundaries.
“One of my earliest commitments when I was first elected to represent Newburgh in the State Senate was that we’d replace the Lake Street Bridge once and for all,” said Skoufis. “I’m thrilled to announce that, thanks to this new funding, construction meetings are kicking off this very week. Working alongside my partners in government, we delivered this long-awaited outcome that improves quality of life as well as provides a far more welcoming entrance to the city for residents and visitors alike.”
“Route 32/Lake Street is an important thoroughfare connecting New Windsor to the City of Newburgh,” said Assemblymember Jonathan Jacobson. “I was dealing with this problem when I was on the City Council. When I first arrived, the City was renting a bridge and then bought this bridge as a temporary fix. The current bridge was never meant to be permanent, so I am pleased that the funding is now available to finally replace this decaying temporary structure with a safe, reliable new bridge that will keep travelers safe and traffic flowing smoothly in and out of Newburgh.”
“I am so proud of our partners at the state level, Senator Skoufis and Assemblymember Jacobson,” said Newburgh Mayor Torrance Harvey. “They are truly moving things in our State Legislature to get our city revitalized! This permanent bridge replacement is just another great example of our complete collaboration. This new bridge, along with new water and sewage utilities and infrastructure, is exactly what’s needed to fit our ten year master plan on revitalization.”
Construction is expected to begin this spring, with a full replacement completed by the end of 2022.