State Department of Transportation Announces Start of $3.3 Million Bridge Rehabilitation Project Along State Route 126 in Jefferson County

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Release Date: April 15, 2025

State Department of Transportation Announces Start of $3.3 Million Bridge Rehabilitation Project Along State Route 126 in Jefferson County

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez today announced that work is getting started on a $3.3 million project to rehabilitate the bridge carrying State Route 126, also known as State Street, over the Black River and the MA&N Railroad line in Jefferson County. The project will install a new road surface and make other improvements to enhance safety and improve resiliency along a vital connector that links the villages of Carthage and West Carthage in the North Country. State Route 126 is also a key travel corridor for the movement of the region's manufacturing products and access to State Route 3 and such popular Adirondack destinations as Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake.

"In projects big and small, the New York State Department of Transportation continues to build back our infrastructure and build it back better in order to connect communities around the state, improve quality of life and provide new opportunities for economic growth," Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said. "The rehabilitation of the bridge along State Route 126 will extend the service life of a key connector for North County travelers and will ensure that people and goods can reach their destinations safely, despite the challenges posed by Mother Nature."

In addition to a new concrete road surface, the 460-foot-long-bridge, which was originally built in 1949, will also receive new bridge joints and substructure repairs to the piers and abutments. The approaches to the bridge will be reconstructed and the structure will be painted. Additionally, an inactive railroad crossing will be removed, and sidewalks will be upgraded at the intersection of State Street & Riverside Drive just north of the bridge, further improving mobility and enhancing safety for motorists and pedestrians.

In order to minimize traffic impacts, the project will proceed in stages and motorists should expect lane reductions with alternating flows of traffic controlled by temporary signals during the initial phase. This project is expected to be completed by the end of December of 2025.

Village of West Carthage Mayor Scott M. Burto said, "We are incredibly grateful for New York State's investment in this critical infrastructure project. The rehabilitation of the State Route 126 bridge will not only enhance safety and reliability for residents and travelers, but also support economic growth by strengthening a key transportation corridor that connects our communities and serves local industry. This project reflects the State's commitment to building a safer, more resilient future for West Carthage, and the entire region."