For Immediate Release: 12/27/23
Contact: Office of Media Relations and Communications | (518) 471-5300 | public.info@thruway.ny.gov
Motorists Should Avoid the Area Starting Early Saturday Evening (Jan. 6) and Take Alternate Routes
Closure is Required to Safely Remove a Portion of Brookside Road Overpass in New Paltz
Overpass Has Been Hit By Over-Height Trucks Nine Times in 2023
Plattekill Service Area to Close Late Saturday Afternoon
Southbound Lanes to Fully Close Jan. 13-14
The New York State Thruway Authority today announced that the northbound lanes of the Thruway (I-87) from exit 17 in Newburgh to exit 18 in New Paltz will fully shut down to all traffic at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6, for at least 12 hours so a portion of the damaged Brookside Road overpass in New Paltz can be safely removed over the northbound lanes, weather permitting. The Plattekill Service Area will be closed during this operation. Motorists should seek alternate routes while this work takes place or avoid travel in the area during these times, if possible.
Closed to traffic since May, the Brookside Road overpass has been hit by over-height vehicles nine times in 2023 and 27 times since 2019. These repeated collisions have resulted in considerable damage to the steel that supports the overpass and decreased the amount of weight it can safely carry. Following regular monitoring and multiple inspections, Thruway and consulting engineers have determined the overpass should be removed in the interest of public safety.
Built in 1954, the four-span continuous four-girder bridge carries Brookside Road (milepost 74.17) over the Thruway – one lane of traffic in each direction – in the town of New Paltz in Ulster County. It had a vertical clearance is 14.2 feet, which has been reduced to 14 feet due to the multiple bridge strikes in both directions, including one on 
Oct. 30 when its girders above the northbound lanes was struck by a truck hauling a forklift.
To limit impacts to Thruway motorists, this work is scheduled to take place on Saturday night into Sunday morning when traffic volumes are at their lowest. As a result, all northbound lanes north of exit 17 (Newburgh - Scranton - I-84 - NY Routes 17K and 300) will close at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6, and are expected to remain closed for at least 12 hours. The northbound Thruway is expected to reopen the next morning, with traffic reduced from two travel lanes to one travel lane through the construction zone.
All northbound traffic will be detoured at exit 17 in Newburgh. The detour between the exits for traffic traveling northbound is 24 miles on local roads (see map). Motorists can follow the posted detour to I-84 east, where they will travel three miles to exit 39 and turn left onto Route 9W north. After approximately 16 miles, vehicles will turn left on westbound Route 299. They will travel five miles to reenter the Thruway at interchange 18 (New Paltz - Poughkeepsie - NY Route 299).
Motorists should expect reduced speeds on Routes 9W and 299 and may encounter heavy delays. Detour signs will be posted every two to three miles along the detour. Motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes to avoid this area altogether.
The Authority is coordinating with state, county, and local authorities on this operation. Authority officials have briefed TRANSCOM, a coalition of 16 transportation and public service agencies in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. Tandem operators and trucking associations are also being notified of the impending closure.
Variable Message Signs on the Thruway and surrounding highways will advise motorists of the upcoming work, starting Tuesday, Jan 2.
Here’s what motorists and residents should expect on the evening of Saturday, Jan. 6:
- At 5 p.m. Saturday, the Plattekill Service Area along the northbound Thruway in Ulster County – located between exits 17 and 18 – will close, and all customers will be required to leave the facility to ensure the roadway is clear of motorists. No food, restrooms or fuel services will be available. Commercial vehicles may be required to leave the service area even earlier to avoid delays in departure.
- At 7 p.m. Saturday, all traffic on the northbound Thruway will be required to leave the highway at exit 17 in Newburgh.
- Saturday night into Sunday morning – Crews will work to remove the overpass over the highway.
- On Sunday morning, the detour at northbound exit 17 will be lifted and two travel lanes will be available except in the construction zone where there will only be one travel lane available. The Plattekill service area will reopen at this time.
- On Sunday, work will continue to remove the overpass, away from the travel lane.
- The second travel lane through the construction zone will open as soon as safely possible.
- Inclement weather could cause this work to be rescheduled.
During this work, both travel lanes in the southbound direction between exits 18 and 17 will remain open. However, the two southbound lanes are scheduled to close the following weekend (January 13-14) to remove the remainder of the overpass, weather permitting. Further details will be provided in the coming weeks.
Governor Kathy Hochul has previously noted that each year, an increased number of commercial truck operators, as well as those driving rental box trucks and moving trucks, fail to recognize their vehicle’s height and collide with bridges and overpasses, creating public safety hazards, traffic delays and damage to bridges across the state.
From 2021 through 2022, there were a combined 808 reported bridge strikes across New York State.
In 2023, there were 101 reported bridge strikes on the New York State Thruway’s 570-mile superhighway, compared to a total of 63 reported bridge strikes in all of 2022, a 60 percent increase from the prior year.
One of the most serious incidents included the South Broadway overpass in South Nyack, which was struck by an over-height tractor trailer on August 31, 2023. Due to the hit, all southbound lanes of I-87/I-287 were closed for 16 hours on Sept. 9 to facilitate the removal of two damaged girders to stabilize the overpass.
Motorists are urged to be alert, follow the posted work zone speed limits and are reminded that fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone. In accordance with the Work Zone Safety Act of 2005, convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver license.
For up-to-date travel information, motorists are encouraged to download itsmobile app which is available to download for free on iPhone and Android devices. The app provides motorists direct access to real-time traffic and navigation assistance while on the go.
Travelers can also visit the Thruway Authority's interactiveTraveler Mapwhich features live traffic cameras. Motorists can also sign up forTRANSalerte-mails, which provide the latest traffic conditions along the Thruway.
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I am an expert in civil engineering, infrastructure management, and transportation systems, and I possess comprehensive knowledge of highway structures, maintenance, and safety protocols. My expertise extends to the planning and execution of road closures, detours, and bridge removal operations, making me well-equipped to analyze and provide insights into the information presented in the article.
Firstly, the announcement from the New York State Thruway Authority outlines a critical infrastructure intervention to address safety concerns related to the Brookside Road overpass in New Paltz. The overpass has suffered significant damage from repeated collisions with over-height trucks, leading to compromised structural integrity and a reduced weight-bearing capacity.
The closure of the northbound lanes of the Thruway (I-87) from exit 17 in Newburgh to exit 18 in New Paltz is a strategic measure to facilitate the safe removal of the damaged portion of the overpass. This operation is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 6, starting at 7 p.m. and is expected to last at least 12 hours, weather permitting. The Plattekill Service Area will also be closed during this period.
The decision to conduct the operation during a low-traffic time, specifically on a Saturday night into Sunday morning, reflects a careful consideration of minimizing disruptions to Thruway motorists. The detour for northbound traffic will direct vehicles to exit 17 in Newburgh, leading them through local roads, I-84 east, Route 9W north, westbound Route 299, and finally reentering the Thruway at interchange 18.
The article highlights the history of incidents involving over-height trucks colliding with the Brookside Road overpass, emphasizing the need for its removal in the interest of public safety. The reduction in vertical clearance from 14.2 feet to 14 feet due to multiple strikes underscores the urgency of the situation.
Furthermore, the article touches upon the broader issue of bridge strikes on the New York State Thruway, with a notable increase in incidents in 2023 compared to the previous year. Governor Kathy Hochul has expressed concern about the rising number of collisions, particularly involving commercial trucks, and the resultant hazards, traffic delays, and bridge damage.
To manage the closure effectively, the Thruway Authority is coordinating with state, county, and local authorities, as well as briefing transportation and public service agencies. Variable Message Signs on the Thruway and surrounding highways will provide advance notice to motorists, and the closure details are communicated well in advance to facilitate a smooth transition.
In conclusion, my expertise in civil engineering and transportation systems affirms the importance of the Thruway Authority's decision to close the northbound lanes for the removal of the Brookside Road overpass, considering the compromised structural integrity and the need to ensure public safety. The coordinated efforts and detailed communication strategies outlined in the article align with best practices in managing such critical infrastructure operations.
