FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE10-82
August 24, 2010
CONTACT:
Michael Saucier (718) 595-6600
DEP Begins Work on Final Ashokan Reservoir Bridge
Seven Upgraded Bridges Will Improve Travel and Safety
Environmental Protection Commissioner Cas Holloway today announced that work has begun on Stone Church Bridge, the last of seven nearly 100-year-old bridges DEP is upgrading around the perimeter of the Ashokan Reservoir in the towns of Olive and Marbletown in Ulster County. The $36 million reconstruction project of the bridges began in 2008 and five of the seven bridges are already complete. Work on the final bridge is scheduled to be finished by next summer. The project will improve the structural integrity of the bridges and extend the life of four of the bridges for at least 20 years and for at least 50 years for the others. It will also ensure safer and more reliable transportation in the area due to wider travel lanes, better site distances and higher load ratings, specifically for commercial traffic.
"The City's infrastructure is a top priority for Mayor Bloomberg, and these bridges are a critical part of the transportation network in the City's watershed," said Commissioner Holloway. "Making the seven bridges around Ashokan Reservoir safe for future generations is part of DEP's responsibility to be stewards of the watershed, and good neighbors to our upstate partners, who rely on these bridges every day."
The City maintains approximately 102 miles of public highway and 55 bridges in the upstate watersheds. The seven bridges around Ashokan Reservoir that have been reconstructed or are being reconstructed are:
Bushkill Bridge
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Built:
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1911
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Location:
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Route 28A, Olive, spanning Bush Kill and Dry Brook Creek
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Status:
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Construction started in February 2008 and was completed in July 2009
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Upgrades:
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The existing North and South Bushkill structures were removed and replaced with a five-span, concrete box beam structure spanning the Bushkill and Dry Brook Creeks. New features include a new concrete barrier, stream stabilization, new piers and abutments.
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Traver Hollow Bridge
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Built:
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1911 (Original bridge replaced in 1977 with steel girder bridge)
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Location:
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Route 28A, Olive, spanning Traver Hollow Brook
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Status:
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Construction started in April 2009 and was completed in October 2009
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Upgrades:
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Improvements included installation of a new downspout drainage system, installation of a slope protection system at each abutment, and new concrete pedestals.
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Release Channel Bridge
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Built:
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1912
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Location:
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Route 28A, Olive, spanning Ashokan Waste Channel, which connects to Esopus Creek
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Status:
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Construction started in June 2009 and was completed in November 2009
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Upgrades:
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The existing concrete arch, wingwalls, footers and channel wall and floor sections were removed and replaced.
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Reservoir Road Bridge
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Built:
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1911
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Location:
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Reservoir Road, Olive, spanning the Ulster County Railroad
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Status:
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Construction started in November 2008 and was completed in September 2009
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Upgrades:
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Reconstruction included the installation of a new steel arch under the existing superstructure. The project also widened the roadway and replaced the superstructure and with asphalt to lower the existing grade for better site distance.
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Dividing Weir Bridge
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Built:
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1915
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Location:
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Reservoir Road, Olive, spanning Ashokan Reservoir
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Status:
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Construction started in April 2008 and was completed in July 2008
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Upgrades:
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Timber shoring in the Dividing Weir Gatehouse was installed to support the existing concrete and new lighting was installed.
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Ashokan Spillway Bridge
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Built:
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1913
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Location:
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Route 28A, Marbletown, spanning the Ashokan Dam Spillway
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Status:
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Construction started in April 2008 and will be completed in December 2010
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Upgrades:
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Some concrete superstructure replacement has been completed. Additional work will consist of repairs to the substructure, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
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Stone Church Bridge
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Built:
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1912
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Location:
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Church Road, Marbletown, spanning the Ashokan Dam Spillway
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Status:
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Preliminary work just began; major work to begin next spring; scheduled for completion June 2011
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Upgrades:
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The project consists of replacing the existing superstructure and concrete repairs to the existing substructure.
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DEP manages the City's water supply, providing more than 1 billion gallons of water each day to more than 9 million residents, including 8 million in New York City. Approximately 1,000 DEP employees live and work in the watershed communities as scientists, engineers, surveyors, and administrative professionals, and perform other critical responsibilities. New York City's water is delivered from the Catskill, Delaware, and Croton watersheds that extend more than 125 miles from the City.
Then and Now – The Bridges Around Ashokan
Reservoir
