$6.5M allocated for Sitterly Road bridge replacement, construction to begin in spring
CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced that $6.5 million is going toward the replacement of the Sitterly Road bridge in Clifton Park. Construction is set to start in the spring of 2022.
The Sitterly Road bridge was hit by a truck towing a trailer with a boom lift on April 14, 2021. State Police said the boom lift had raised, exceeding the height limit for the Northway overpass and struck the bridge, causing extensive damage.
“The Department of Transportation understands the importance of the Sitterly Road Bridge to the Clifton Park community and has worked hard to keep this key route open for travelers while, at the same time, expediting a permanent fix,” said DOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said. “The new Sitterly Road Bridge will provide motorists with a higher, modern and more resilient span that will enhance safety and ease travel for motorists traveling between Clifton Park and Halfmoon, as well as those on the Adirondack Northway.”
After the crash, a temporary support structure was installed to provide continued travel across the bridge. DOT said the new replacement bridge was designed in less than five months in comparison to the normal duration of 12 to 18 months.
The new bridge will have a minimum vertical clearance of 16 feet, 7.5 inches, raising the previous bridge clearance. The project will replace the 325-foot existing bridge with a 270-foot-long bridge. The new bridge will feature two 11-foot-wide travel lanes with 6-foot-wide shoulders on either side and a new 5-foot-wide sidewalk on the north side of the bridge. A camera will also be installed to enhance safety during emergency situations to assist in identifying and clearing disruptions on I-87.
Preliminary survey work, tree cutting, and utility relocations will take place this winter into early spring. Construction will begin with excavation and concrete work in preparation for the removal of the old bridge in the spring. The bridge will be completely closed to traffic during most of the construction, which has been scheduled from late June to early September.
The project expected to be completed by the end of 2022.