PUTNAM COUNTY – Governor Cuomo announced Monday that work is complete on the $28.9 million project to construct a new bridge over the Taconic State Parkway at the Pudding Street intersection in Putnam Valley. The work also added new ramps to better enable motorists to get on and off the parkway.
The project used modern and sustainable engineering practices to eliminate the at-grade crossing and realign the Parkway. The project, which was completed on time and on budget, enhances access for communities to the east and west, increases sight distance and mobility for school buses, and improves access for emergency services, according to Cuomo’s office.
“The enhancements over the Taconic State Parkway will make it easier for motorists in Putnam Valley to reach their destinations more quickly and safely than ever before,” Governor Cuomo said. “As the COVID-19 pandemic spread across New York, the dedicated workers on this project continued to come to work and completed the job on time and on budget, maintaining the historic integrity of the Taconic State Parkway and advancing our commitment to meet the transportation needs of local communities.”
The project used innovative recycling techniques to reuse on-site rock materials. Large rock blasts were needed to accommodate the new bridge and ramps, which yielded a significant amount of smaller rock and stone. The blasted material was reduced and recycled for use as backfill, subbase, and stone fill. Additional excess rock material was hauled away for use on other construction sites across the state.
Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “The new Pudding Street interchange is more than just an innovative transportation project; it’s a common-sense solution to a transportation need identified by the local community. The end result is not only aesthetically appealing but enhances safety for the motorists and school buses who utilize this facility every day to get to work, go to school and enjoy recreational opportunities in and around the Hudson Valley.”
Senator Susan Serino said, “Decades in the making, the completion of the Pudding Street Overpass is a tremendous win for the local community and every driver who travels this stretch of the Taconic,” adding “I am immensely proud to have helped get this critical project over the finish line. I thank all of the local residents and officials whose persistence helped to drive this project, and to team at the Department of Transportation for all that they have done to engage the community and complete the project on time and as promised.”
To accentuate the parkway’s historic status, a modern, two-span bridge structure was built with aesthetic features that mimic the appearance of existing bridges on the Taconic State Parkway, including a steel component appearance, decorative fencing, and concrete structural elements with recessed decorative features.
An improved drainage system was installed as part of the project. To accommodate the new bridge and ramps, wetlands were relocated within the project area. The project also included the replacement of an existing culvert carrying Pudding Street over Roaring Brook.
