Governor Hochul Announces Major Capital Region Infrastructure Projects to Improve Rail Service and Boost Economic Development

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that construction has begun on a $634.8 million project to replace the Livingston Avenue Rail Bridge, which will replace the Civil War-era passenger rail bridge spanning the Hudson River between the cities of Albany and Rensselaer; and provide a modern crossing that will improve service and reliability along New York State’s Empire Corridor and throughout the entire northeast. Governor Hochul also announced a $10 million award to demolish the Central Warehouse, a blighted building in Downtown Albany, pieces of which have fallen onto nearby rail tracks disrupting Amtrak service for thousands of New Yorkers.

“The Empire Corridor is a gateway to the U.S. economy, powering innovation and industry for businesses in New York State and beyond,” Governor Hochul said. “We’re making investments in two critical pieces of infrastructure to unlock the potential for further growth and to ensure this vital corridor will be strong for decades to come.”

Livingston Avenue Bridge Construction

A new seven-span, lift-type bridge meeting modern standards for height, width and speeds will be constructed just south of the existing bridge. It will also be wider and designed to carry heavier freight train loads, as well as two passenger trains at the same time. The structure will also be able to handle taller rail cars, allowing for more freight, and will more reliably accommodate marine traffic on the Hudson River.

The project will also create a separated shared-use path that will provide a much-needed crossing over the Hudson River for pedestrians and cyclists, providing easy connections to the Albany Skyway, the Empire State Trail, the future Rensselaer Riverwalk - a portion of which is being constructed as part of this project – and other area attractions. Replacement of the bridge is being funded as part of the historic, $33 billion, five-year New York State Department of Transportation Capital Plan and is a signature project exemplifying Governor Hochul’s commitment to investing in projects that reconnect communities, enhance quality of life and foster growth and economic opportunity for all New Yorkers.

The anticipated completion of this project is in the summer of 2028. The new bridge will be constructed alongside the existing structure before shifting train traffic to the new bridge upon its completion. The current Livingston Avenue Bridge will remain in use until that time, thus limiting disruptions before being removed.

In addition to funding from the capital plan, NYSDOT also continues to seek federal competitive grant funding for the Livingston Avenue Bridge project under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The original structure over the Hudson River opened in 1865 and its original piles were used in the construction of the current Livingston Avenue Bridge in 1901. The bridge, owned by CSX and leased to Amtrak, is nearing the end of its serviceable life and does not meet current standards related to load, speed, and height clearance; forcing passenger and freight trains operating over the bridge to abide by weight and speed restrictions. This also limits the types of carriages and freight that can traverse the span. As a result, the two-track bridge can be used only by one train at a time at maximum speeds of 15 mph, contributing to delays in the movement of freight and passengers throughout New York State. The current service across the bridge includes twelve Amtrak passenger trains and roughly two to six freight trains (Canadian Pacific Railway and CSX) daily. The bridge is a critical link for passenger rail service – as no detour is available without creating substantial delays, upwards of 2.5 hours.

Central Warehouse Award

The $10 million award through the eighth round of the Restore New York Communities Initiative will be allocated to the County of Albany to facilitate the safe demolition of the building, allowing the property to be developed in a way that benefits the community and boosts the economy. Restore New York supports municipal revitalization efforts across the state, helping to remove blight, reinvigorate downtowns, and generate economic opportunity in communities statewide. The program, administered by Empire State Development, is designed to help local governments revitalize their communities and encourage commercial investment, improve the local housing stock, put properties back on the tax rolls and increase the local tax base. The remainder of the round eight awards will be announced in the coming days.

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “At long last, the time has finally come to replace the Livingston Avenue Bridge. This new structure will provide a safer, more resilient and more efficient crossing of the Hudson River for passenger and freight trains, which will improve service and reduce delays throughout the corridor. The bridge will also tie the communities along the Hudson River closer together and promote recreation and tourism by providing a direct pedestrian and bicyclist connection between the Albany-Rensselaer Station and the Albany Skyway and Empire State Trail.”

Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Hope Knight said, “These two transformative projects in the Capital Region will help reinvigorate Albany’s core and encourage pedestrian and bicycle friendly travel to the region’s waterfront. Through Governor Hochul’s leadership we are finding solutions to long-standing problems that negatively impact communities across the state and these solutions are paving the way for economic success and a brighter future.”

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer said, “This is tremendous news for the future of passenger rail in Upstate New York. For the continuation of nautical traffic along the Hudson River, and for the long dreamt of goal of a pedestrian crossing between Albany and Rensselaer. I additionally applaud Governor Hochul and the state government for stepping up to address the Central Warehouse eyesore, and I am pleased that Albany County has decided to use $3M of the American Rescue Plan funding that I secured to help with the demolition as well. These two projects will benefit the Capital Region for generations to come.”

Representative Paul Tonko said, “As a passionate advocate for train travel – who uses Amtrak nearly every week to travel between our district and DC – I believe that accessible, efficient train use across New York State is critical to renew our communities, create jobs, bolster our local economies, and take carbon-emitting vehicles off our strained highways. That’s why I’m delighted to celebrate the commencement of the Livingston Avenue Bridge rehabilitation! There is much more work to be done to drive investments in worthy transportations projects like this bridge rehabilitation and I pledge to keep working to ensure further transformational investments are delivered to better connect and serve our Capital Region communities.”

Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said, “ Today the residents of Albany received good news about two major projects that will have a transformative impact for recreation, downtown revitalization, and access to our waterfront. The over $600 million commitment by the state to the Livingston Avenue Bridge replacement will not only improve the function of the ninth-busiest train station in the nation but will also bolster recreation on our Hudson River through creation of a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly path, connecting Albany’s riverfront to our eastern neighbors. In addition, the $10 million from the state to Albany County for the demolition of the Central Warehouse will bring the space currently occupied by this hazardous building back to life. Thank you to Governor Hochul and our state partners for funding these projects to revive this area of our city.”

Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy said, “We thank Governor Hochul for making two historic infrastructure announcements today that will transform the City of Albany for the better. We greatly appreciate the Governor awarding our $10 million Restore NY Application that will allow us to end the saga of our region’s most notorious eyesore. For years, this prime property near the Hudson River has been underutilized, and we look forward to leading its revitalization. In addition, the Livingston Avenue Bridge replacement project will modernize a critical passenger and freight transportation link, while adding much needed pedestrian and bike improvements.

Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner said, “Service to the Capital Region is a critical part of Amtrak’s network and the Livingston Avenue Bridge is the lynchpin connecting New York City and the Hudson Valley to the rest of the Empire State and beyond,” said Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner. “Ridership on the Empire service is already some of the strongest in the country and thanks to the leadership of Gov. Hochul, NYSDOT and the NY Congressional delegation, this new bridge will improve train travel in the region and beyond.”