Governor Hochul Announces Start of $8.2 Million Malden Turnpike Bridge Replacement Project Over the Thruway in Ulster County

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the start of an $8.2 million project to replace the Malden Turnpike bridge over the Thruway (I-87, milepost 103.16) in the Village of Saugerties in Ulster County with a modern structure. The 78-year-old bridge is currently closed to traffic to safely facilitate construction. Approximately 2,000 vehicles per day travel over the bridge.

"New York's economy is powered by our transportation network, which is why we continue to make smart investments to upgrade and modernize our infrastructure," Governor Hochul said. "When our roads and bridges are upgraded, we improve the driving experience for daily commuters and the commercial vehicles that New York relies on to move goods and services throughout our state and across the nation."

New York State Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare said, "The Thruway Authority is investing in replacing and rehabilitating aging infrastructure, enhancing the safety and reliability of vital connectors in local communities that thousands of motorists use every day. These investments maintain the Thruway as one of the safest and most affordable superhighways in the nation."

State Senator Michelle Hinchey said, "Replacing the nearly 80-year-old Malden Turnpike Bridge over I-87 is a critical investment that will give our residents a safer ride and strengthen the long-term resilience of our local infrastructure. I thank Governor Hochul and the Thruway Authority for their continued partnership in prioritizing the modernization of our local roads and bridges here in Ulster County."

Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger said, "We thank Governor Hochul and the NYS Thruway Authority for making this major investment to replace the Malden Turnpike Bridge and improve safety and reliability of this important connector to Saugerties and the Catskill region of Ulster County. I also want to thank our local officials, emergency services, and community members for their cooperation throughout the construction period. Projects like this strengthen our infrastructure and ensure that Ulster County remains safe, accessible, and prepared for the future."

The new bridge will have an anticipated service life of 75 years and feature two 11-foot travel lanes with 5-foot shoulders. Additional upgrades include an improved riding surface, new bridge railings, and increased vertical clearance over the Thruway from 14 feet-two-inches to 16-feet-six-inches to enhance safety and reduce the chance of bridge hits.

The Malden Turnpike bridge closed to all traffic on Monday, March 16, and will remain closed until the project is complete in fall 2026. The Thruway Authority has coordinated with local municipalities including law enforcement, emergency responders, fire departments and local schools in advance of the closure. Additionally, a public information session was held on this project for the local community in April 2025.

A seven-mile signed detour is in place. Motorists seeking to access Malden Turnpike should use NY Route 32 South to NYS Route 212, to Main Street, to US Route 9W north to Malden Turnpike.

Motorists may encounter lane closures on the Thruway in this area during construction. Variable Message Signs have been deployed to advise motorists of the construction work and detour information.

A. Colarusso & Son Inc. of Hudson, NY was selected as the project contractor following a competitive bidding process.

The work is weather dependent and subject to change. Motorists are urged to be alert and follow the posted work zone speed limits. Fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone. Motorists should be aware of an increase in points for violations of speeding in a construction zone.

To further enhance safety for workers in a work zone, Governor Hochul signed legislation establishing the Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement pilot program. The safety enforcement program began in April 2023 and is in effect in various active construction zones on the Thruway. Work zones with speed camera enforcement will have clear signage leading up to the work zone. Motorists violating the posted speed limit within the work zone will be fined. Violation fines will be issued to the vehicle's registered owner by mail. More information on the program can be found here.

For up-to-date travel information, motorists are encouraged to download the Thruway Authority's mobile 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 interactive Traveler Map which features live traffic cameras. Motorists can also sign up for TRANSalert e-mails, which provide the latest traffic conditions along the Thruway.

The Thruway Authority's approved 2026 budget also invests a total of more than $600 million in capital contracts scheduled to be awarded in 2026, an increase of more than $133.5 million from the 2025 budget projected totals, and one of the largest single-year investments in Thruway history. The 2026 budget includes a historic $2.8 billion Capital Plan for 2026-2030. The five-year plan will fund the replacement or preservation of 150 of the Thruway's 819 bridges-about 18 percent-and the resurfacing of more than 1,500 of its 2,800 lane miles of highway, or roughly 60 percent.

About the Thruway System

Built in the early 1950s, the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway is one of the oldest components of the National Interstate Highway System and one of the longest toll roads in the nation. It sets the standard for modern highway geometric design with safe roadway characteristics including smooth curves, wide medians and unobstructed driver sight distance.

For more than 71 years, the Thruway System has been essential for commerce and travel in the Northeast. About one-third of all vehicles using the Thruway are from out of state. This 570-mile superhighway, with 819 bridges, 118 interchanges and 27 Service Areas connects New York's principal cities, rural areas and tourist destinations.

Year after year, the Thruway system is recognized as one of the safest highways in the nation. In 2024, the Thruway-wide fatality rate was 0.22 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, one of the lowest recorded rates on the Thruway system since fatality rates have been documented in 1954. The figure is significantly lower than the nationwide traffic fatality rate for 2024 of 1.20 and the latest New York State traffic fatality rate from 2023 of 0.93.

Contact the Governor's Press Office