Two New Bridges Between Exits 26 & 28 in Pleasantville Improve Resiliency Against Severe Weather Events
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that major construction has been completed on two new bridges that carry the Saw Mill River Parkway over the Saw Mill River in the Village of Pleasantville, Westchester County. Located between Exits 26 & 28 on the parkway, the new bridges and a newly stabilized 1.3-mile stretch of the roadbed adjacent to the two structures will enhance safety and improve resiliency along a vital commuter artery that provides access to the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge and the New York State Thruway which has been prone to flooding during heavy rains. The work, which cost approximately $38 million, was done as part of an ongoing, $115 million project to replace or renovate several bridges in lower Westchester County to better withstand severe weather events and improve travel throughout the busy corridor.
"Westchester County commuters are all-too-familiar with the Saw Mill River Parkway's history of flooding during major rainstorms and the associated travel headaches," Governor Hochul said. "With the completion of these two new bridges, we are writing a new chapter in the history of the Saw Mill - making it more resilient to severe weather and strengthening this vital travel artery for decades to come."
Begun in the summer of 2020, the project replaced the two bridges that were built in 1930 with modern, single span, steel girder bridges that are several feet higher than the original structures and better able to withstand floods. The adjacent roadway, which had been prone to settling, was stabilized with nearly 5000 wood piles that were driven into a more solid ground layer. New, higher capacity drainage systems were also added to accommodate storm water runoff. During construction, asphalt from the original bridges was recycled and used on the road deck for the new bridges and native vegetation species were planted to help beautify and protect the landscape.
As part of the larger Lower Westchester Bridge Bundle, the New York State Department of Transportation also replaced the East Lincoln Avenue bridge over the Hutchinson River Parkway and Hutchinson River in the Village of Pelham and City of Mount Vernon, and is in the process of replacing the U.S. Route 1 bridge over Mamaroneck River in Mamaroneck. These projects, which focus on drainage improvements and the reconstruction of roadways prone to flooding, will enhance safety and improve the region's resiliency during storm events. The overall project is expected to be complete by the end of 2023.
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, "Governor Hochul understands the critical role that infrastructure plays in the well-being of a community and how important it is that we build it back better to confront the ever-growing threat posed by climate change. By enhancing the resilience of our transportation network with strategic investments like this in Westchester County, we help keep people and goods on the move regardless of the impacts of severe weather."
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