Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that construction to replace the Patterson Bridge carrying Route 352 over the Chemung River in Corning is complete and the bridge is now open to traffic. The $19.4 million New York Works project, which required a complete bridge closure during construction, began last year and is opening prior to Memorial Day as planned.
Through the NY Works program, we are making critical investments in the Southern Tier that provide a foundation for economic activity, Governor Cuomo said. This bridge is an integral part of the local transportation system, and rebuilding this piece of infrastructure from the core will ensure its use for years to come.
The Patterson Bridge carries local traffic to and from Corning and the recently completed I-86 and Future I-99 Hamilton Street Interchange. It is a vital link between the city and western points, including Corning Incorporateds World Headquarters and Research and Development facilities.
New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Commissioner Joan McDonald said, The new Patterson Bridge will improve safety and help support commuter and shipping traffic into and out of Corning, while providing a modern connection to the local interstate system. Governor Cuomos commitment to bolstering New York States economy by improving our roads and bridges made this important project a reality.
Work began in 2013 and the bridge was completely closed last September. Within 75-days of complete closure, the contractor demolished the old bridge, constructed footers and piers for the new bridge, and started installation of the steel beams. The project was completed before Memorial Day 2014, despite a long, harsh winter.
Corning Mayor Rich Negri said, My thanks go out to DOT and the contractors for a fantastic job of completing this project on-time in spite of having to work through one of our coldest winters. My thanks also to DOT for working with the City to control traffic in such a way as to provide minimum disruption. It certainly helped make life a lot easier during construction.
The Patterson Bridge carries Route 352 (Denison Parkway) over the Norfolk-Southern Railroad and the Chemung River, connecting the City of Corning and the Village of Riverside. During construction of the new bridge, traffic was maintained via an off-site detour using I-86 and state Route 414 (Centerway/Cedar Street).
The construction contractor for the project was Cold Spring Construction Company of Akron, Erie County.
The project was funded through Governor Cuomos NY Works initiative to improve roads and bridges across New York State. It was part of $43.7 million in NY Works funding being spent in Allegany, Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben and Yates counties.
The NY Works program focuses on improving the condition of roads and bridges from fair condition to good condition in order to extend their service life. More than 2,100 miles of pavement were replaced as part of the program, and more than 120 bridges have been rehabilitated or replaced. The improvements better preserve the states infrastructure and guard against the need for more costly, in-depth construction.