Southern Slope of Popolopen Bridge Sustained Significant Damage from Flooding
State Department of Transportation Rebuilt and Stabilized the Abutment in Less Than Four Weeks
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that U.S. Route 9W in the Town of Highlands, Orange County, has reopened following the devastating floods that struck the Hudson Valley in early July. Unprecedented rains caused a 20-foot-deep soil mass to wash down the southern slope, which supports the Popolopen Bridge. In less than four weeks, State Department of Transportation engineers expedited the design and construction of a new support system for this vital bridge, reopening the bridge and reconnecting U.S. Route 9W to the Bear Mountain Circle, allowing vital access between West Point and the Bear Mountain Bridge to Westchester and Putnam counties, Palisades Parkway to Rockland County, and U.S. Route 6 to western Orange County.
“Mother Nature wreaked havoc on New Yorkers earlier this month, but we are one step closer to recovering from the devastating rains and flooding that hit the Hudson Valley region,” Governor Hochul said. “Today, we are reopening the Popolopen Bridge, which will make travel easier between West Point and destinations to the south in record time and long before tens of thousands of travelers arrive to see our Army Black Knights begin their season.”
The extent of damage necessitated the removal of significant amounts of soil, and NYSDOT engineers coordinated a solution to install a new geosynthetic reinforced fill-type retaining wall system. The system is a type of reinforced soil wall that uses layers of materials, such as fabrics, grids, and meshes, to strengthen the soil and hold it in place. It can be used to support bridges, roads, slopes, and other structures that need a stable foundation. State and contract crews installed the system along the steep slope and re-established the roadway for travelers.
U.S. Route 9W was one of many roads across New York that suffered significant damage from the severe weather that impacted the state earlier this month. From July 9 to July 10, more than eight inches of rain were reported in parts of the Mid-Hudson Region and more than five inches of rain in Ontario County, in the Finger Lakes Region. From July 10 to July 11, parts of the North Country saw several inches of rain in a short period of time, which caused devastating flooding, closing roadways, and damaging infrastructure across impacted regions.
In advance of the storm, Governor Hochul had directed state agencies to prepare emergency response assets and stay in constant communication with local governments to monitor weather impacts and respond to requests for assistance. As the storms moved across the state, the Governor continued to deploy disaster resources to impacted areas, including additional NYSDOT staff, who worked to get state highways and bridges open as quickly as possible.
In the wake of the storm, hundreds of NYSDOT crew members and contractors worked around the clock to repair and reopen numerous roadways in the Hudson Valley, including:
- U.S. Route 9W between Cornwall and the Stony Lonesome Gate entrance to West Point/Mountain Ave, Orange County
- U.S. Route 6/202 (Bear Mountain Bridge Road) between State Route 9D and U.S. Route 9 in the Town of Cortlandt, Westchester County
- State Route 32 at Trout Brook Road, Town of Woodbury, Orange County
- Palisades Parkway between exit 15 and Bear Mountain Bridge, Town of Highlands, Rockland County
- The Long Mountain Circle between U.S. Route 6 and the Palisades Interstate Parkway,
- State Route 9A between Skyline Drive and Saw Mill River Parkway, Mount Pleasant, Westchester County
- State Route 116 between Norton Road and Hunt Lane, North Salem, Westchester County.
- State Route 35 eastbound west of Mark Mead Road, Cross River, Westchester County
- Taconic State Parkway northbound, south of Exit 37A, East Fishkill, Dutchess County
- State Route 22 at Hurds Corners Road, Pawling, Dutchess County
NYSDOT will continue repairs to the damaged bridge in the coming weeks to include the removal of the exposed wingwall, slope remediation, drainage improvements, and final roadway and sidewalk repairs. Independent of the storm damage, work continues on a renovation project to replace the support eyebars and pins on the Popolopen Bridge, with anticipated completion this construction season. Motorists are urged to use caution while traveling through this area.
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “The morning after the storm I was in Highland Falls and the surrounding communities, observing the devastation firsthand. I met so many members of the community affected by the flooding, including Charlie, one of our very own DOT highway workers whose home was flooded. The impacts of this extreme weather event affected our DOT family, and it was these same family members who worked diligently to repair our transportation network and quickly reconnect all our communities, statewide. Thank you to Governor Hochul for her leadership throughout this ordeal, our county and local partners and to our dedicated team of professionals, who worked around the clock to get so many roads re-opened in record time. With the increased threat brought on by climate change, we will continue to face the perils of this type of weather event and our team at NY State DOT is committed to not just recovering from these events, but helping our communities build back better.”
Representative Pat Ryan said, “The storm’s catastrophic damage to this bridge has resulted in significant traffic disruption, negative impacts to local small businesses, and made it harder for our first responders to do their jobs safely and efficiently. Thanks to the close coordination between federal, state and local government, and in particular the heroic 24/7 work of crews on the scene, I’m proud to announce Popolopen Bridge is back up and running ahead of schedule. We must continue to bring that same urgency and focus to cleaning up the damage to homes, small businesses and infrastructure across the region. I will keep pushing for everyone impacted to get the relief they need and deserve.”
State Senator James Skoufis said, "The closure of the Popolopen Bridge following July's extreme flooding event has had a devastating impact on the Town of Highlands community, disrupting local commerce, hindering needed recovery efforts and supplies, and making commutes unbearably long or, in some cases, impossible. I applaud the DOT for their swift repair of this vital infrastructure under the leadership of Commissioner Dominguez and remain certain that our communities will come back stronger as the recovery effort proceeds in earnest. Our office will continue to work closely with DOT and other local, state, and federal partners to ensure every possible resource is tapped throughout this reconstruction."
Assemblymember Christopher Eachus said, “As those who live in the Town of Highlands know, the Popolopen Bridge is a critical lifeline for our community, and its destruction from this once-in-a-thousand-year storm has had an incalculable impact on our residents. I’m extremely thankful to NYSDOT and their dedicated engineers for their non-stop work throughout these past four weeks, and for their coordination with local officials in ensuring the bridge is safe and functional in record time. This is a huge step forward for our region as we continue to rebuild our area’s damaged infrastructure, and work towards restoring the lives of those who were severely impacted.”
Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus said, “The Popolopen Bridge is a vital roadway in Orange County, and I am glad that it has re-opened less than a month after the devastating storm damaged it. It is another important step as we recover from the storm and will benefit residents in the southeastern portion of the County and visitors alike. I want to thank the State Department of Transportation for its diligent work in repairing the bridge.”
Town of Highlands Supervisor Bob Livsey said, “It’s been a long wait, but today will put smiles on people’s faces.”
United States Military Academy Superintendent, Lt. Gen. Steven W. Gilland said, “On behalf of the West Point Community, we would like to thank all of our partners, both state and local, for their steadfast leadership and dedicated efforts to restore this critical link between our local communities and the lower Hudson Valley. It is a vital next step on the road to recovery and will directly support rebuilding efforts over the coming months.”
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