State To Begin $78M Lake Bridge Project
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A major bridge project will be getting underway in Chautauqua County.
State Gov. Kathy Hochul today highlighted $82.7 million in infrastructure investments for Chautauqua County, which includes the start of a major rehabilitation. A $78 million project is getting underway to rehabilitate the bridges carrying Interstate 86 – which is also known as the Southern Tier Expressway – over Chautauqua Lake in the towns of Ellery and North Harmony in Chautauqua County.
“To ensure that our communities and our economy in all regions of the state continue to grow and prosper, New York State is making investments to strengthen and harden our infrastructure to meet and exceed the challenges of the 21st Century,” Hochul said. “Chautauqua Lake, with its natural beauty and abundance of local attractions, is one of the premier destinations for visitors to Western New York.”
The four bridge structures going over Chautauqua Lake will receive new road surfaces and other repairs to enhance safety, ease travel and improve resiliency along this this vital corridor linking the Southern Tier region of New York to northwestern Pennsylvania. The project will extend the service life of the bridges, which were built in the early 1980’s, by approximately 40 years. The bridges are located along the western segment of Interstate 86 that follows the corridor of the original State Route 17, extending from Pennsylvania to across the Southern Tier of New York, serving such key cities as Jamestown, Salamanca, Olean, Corning and Elmira.
As part of the project, the 3,790-foot-long main bridge crossing Chautauqua Lake and two, 500-foot-long bridge structures that split off the eastern end of the main bridge, and carry the eastbound and westbound lanes of traffic will receive new concrete bridge decks, bridge barriers, bearings and steel repairs. These three structures total 24 spans. A fourth bridge structure that carries westbound I-86 ramps to State Route 430 will also receive new bridge joints and will be resurfaced.
Work on the project will progress over four construction seasons, with initial work focusing on the creation of crossover lanes to move traffic during future project phases. One lane of traffic in each direction of I-86 will be maintained throughout the bulk of the project, however, motorists should be prepared for some overnight closures of the highway in 2024 and 2025 to facilitate the pouring of the new bridge decks. During this time, nighttime traffic will be accommodated using off-site detours. The project is expected to be complete in the fall of 2026.
Additionally, a $4.7 million project is substantially complete, rehabilitating State Route 430, Washington Street, from Second Street to Fluvanna Avenue, and State Route 394, Fairmount Avenue, from McDaniel Avenue to Fairmount Avenue/6th Street in the city of Jamestown in Chautauqua County.
“The City of Jamestown continues to attract new residents and visitors every year,” Hochul said. “These two projects in Chautauqua County are the latest examples of our targeted investments that will enhance both resiliency and sustainability in Western New York.”