The New York State Thruway Authority’s top leadership is in Western New York to observe several multi-million dollar projects in progress along local state highways and bridges. He provided an update at the foot of the South Grand Island Bridges, the latest of these projects.
“We have $1.1 billion worth of work going on, and $314 million of that is right here in the Buffalo Division,” said executive director Frank Hoare. “Over the next five years, we'll be spending $670 million on our projects, on our roads, and on our bridges in Western New York.”
Work began late last month on the South Grand Island Bridges. The cost of the repairs and upkeep is set at $54 million but Thruway officials note $39 million of that comes from a federal grant.
“The work that will be done in this $54 million project includes seismic retrofits, that includes bearing replacement. It also includes steel repairs and strengthening of the superstructure of the bridges,” said John Boser, Director of Infrastructure Management for the Thruway Authority. “It will also include reopening the closed sidewalk on the South Grand Island Bridge and also frictional treatments of the wearing surface of the bridge itself.”
Work is scheduled to continue through 2028. Boser says disruptions should be minimal because any road closures that are necessary will be done during off-peak hours.
Work on the North Grand Island Bridges, an estimated $67 million project which began in 2023, is expected to finish this year. Two of the bridges in the system, one on the north end and one on the south, were built in 1935. The other two were added in 1962. When asked what kind of shelf life these spans may have, Hoare suggested that there need not necessarily be one, as long as maintenance is kept up.
“Bridges go up and they're constantly inspected for safety and reliability and for usage,” he said. “The shelf life can continue on as long as that work, that it remains that way, and we perform the work that's necessary to keep to keep it safe.”
Other current road construction sites on local state roadways include Route I-190 in Buffalo, a $62 million project expected to take two more years, and a $64 million project on I-90 between Buffalo and Cheektowaga.
