New York’s locally-owned bridges are in better condition than they were six years ago, but 10% are still rated as poor, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
A press release from State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s office Thursday said that New York’s percentage of local bridges in poor condition is down from 12.1% in 2017, but the estimated cost for necessary work on the bridges was around $29 billion. More than half of the 81 bridges closed in 2023 were locally-owned.
“Ensuring safe and reliable public infrastructure is an ongoing concern for local governments across the country,” DiNapoli said in the release. “Despite increased funding from the federal and state governments, there is a great deal more work that needs to be done in New York. Local governments need this funding to continue so sorely needed repairs and maintenance are completed.”
Ulster County, in the Hudson Valley, had the most local bridges rated poorly in 2023, with 63. That’s three more than New York City. Columbia County had 34, and Orange and Rensselaer counties had 31 each.
Schenectady County was New York’s only county with no bridges rated in poor condition. Suffolk and Wyoming counties had just two each; Yates County only had one.
Outside of New York City and the Mid-Hudson region, the local bridge with the highest average traffic that was rated poor was the Ellicott Creek Bridge just northeast of Buffalo International Airport in Amherst.
The full report can be read here.
Below is a full list of the bridges given a poor rating in Upstate New York. Use the gray bar at the bottom of the graphic to scroll between regions.
