MTA Metro-North Railroad today announced that it will rebuild and reopen the Prospect Hill Road Bridge in Southeast through a $9.5 million investment made possible by the MTA’s 2015-2019 Capital Program. The 270-foot-long bridge, which was built in 1910, is located just south of the Southeast station; it carries Prospect Hill Road over the Harlem Line tracks and parts of Metro-North’s Brewster Yard.
The MTA’s 2015-2019 Capital Program, secured by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, calls for the investment of $29.4 billion for the renewal, enhancement or expansion of the region’s transportation infrastructure, is the largest capital program in the MTA’s history.
The 107-year-old bridge, which is presently closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic, has been deemed beyond the point of repair. On Wednesday, the MTA Board approved a contract to the firm Halmar International for the design and construction of the replacement bridge.
The first element of the reconstruction will involve the demolition and removal of the bridge, piers, abutments and roadway approaches, as well as clearing trees, shrubs, stumps and rubbish from the future right-of-way. Utility poles will be excavated, removed and re-installed for structural work; crews will then construct new utilities, including communications, signals, and power. When this work is finished, the stage will be set for crews to install new abutments, piers, bridge substructure and superstructure, roadway approaches, sidewalk, striping, signage, guide rails, fencing, retaining walls, grading and drainage. Metro-North estimates the project will take approximately twenty months to complete.
At the direction of Governor Cuomo, Metro-North issued a design-build contract to expedite the project. Design-build contracts call for a single team of contractors to be responsible for both designing and building an entire project in order to ensure that coordination is seamless, and that work is completed in the shortest possible time frame.
Metro-North Railroad President Joseph Giulietti said: “Metro-North has been working diligently with the Town of Southeast to rebuild the Prospect Hill Bridge. The bridge has been a key component of the town’s infrastructure for over a century, and funds from the MTA’s Capital Program will help maintain it well into the future. We’re pleased that a new Prospect Hill Bridge will soon be a reality for Putnam residents.”
Representative Sean Patrick Maloney said: “Anyone who lives in eastern Putnam knows the congestion and traffic caused by the out-of-commission Prospect Hill Bridge – I am glad to say those days are over. Using a combination of federal dollars and support from MTA and our local community we are investing in rebuilding and reopening the bridge, which will create more economic activity in the area and make life easier for drivers and residents. This announcement is a win-win.”
New York State Senator Terrence Murphy said: “The replacement of the 100-year-old Prospect Avenue Bridge has been a long time coming. The MTA and the local community are to be commended for working together to solve the difficult issue of financing the project. Replacing the bridge will improve the flow of traffic along Route 6, which will enhance the quality of life for local residents.”
Assemblyman Kevin Byrne said: “The rebuilding of the Prospect Hill Road Bridge is much welcomed news. It’s critical that New York keeps its infrastructure strong and running. This project will be an asset for the residents of Southeast and Putnam County.”
Putnam County Executive, MaryEllen Odell said: “The news about the reopening of the Prospect Road Bridge is very exciting for the people of Southeast and Putnam County. I would like to thank the MTA leadership for their partnership and their hard work in making this project a reality.”
Town of Southeast Supervisor, Tony Hay said: “A bridge long taken for granted by many over the years, has proved in its absence how important it is to the vitality of our community. Replacing the former decades-old ‘rickety bridge’ with a state-of-the-art bridge will restore a valuable piece of infrastructure within our community. We look forward to its construction and reopening.”
