HIGHLAND – Traffic and revenues on the five bridges operated by
the New York State Bridge Authority are continuing their rise, resulting
in further signs of economic prosperity, officials say.
In the first five months of the year, traffic is up by 7.15 percent while
revenues have increased by 6.70 percent.
The Bear Mountain Bridge, the southernmost facility in the bridge authority’s
control, continues to see the largest increases; traffic is up 7.15 percent
while revenue grew by 121.65 percent. Authority officials cannot put their
finger on an exact reason for those gains on the bridge that connects
the Fort Montgomery area of Orange County – on the Rockland County
border, with the Cortlandt area, just north of Peekskill on the Putnam-Westchester
line.
The Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, by far the greatest performers of all five
bridges, saw traffic rise by 7.65 percent and revenues grow by 6.55 percent.
The twin spans that carry traffic across Interstate 84 saw over 10.3 million
vehicle crossings from January through May with revenues of $12.1 million.
Eastbound span of the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge
Traffic and revenue gains on the other three bridges – Mid-Hudson,
Kingston-Rhinecliff, and Rip Van Winkle, all about 5.5 percent increases
in traffic with the Mid-Hudson and Kingston-Rhinecliff bridges seeing
over 5.5 percent growth in revenue with the Rip Van Winkle up by just
under 5.0 percent.
Lower gas prices, good weather and a continued improving economy are providing
the positive impacts on the rising numbers. The I-84 corridor is a major
east-west truck route and those commercial crossings are helping to drive
the numbers up. Economists say that is another sign of improving economic
times.
