Goshen, N.Y. – Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus and Department of Public Works (DPW) Commissioner Erik Denega have announced the commencement of construction on the Corwin Bridge in the Town of Mount Hope.
The project will be one of the first in the State that will utilize repurposed panels that were salvaged from the Tappan Zee Bridge when it was dismantled last summer. The Corwin Bridge is located on County Route 11 in the Town of Mount Hope.
“We are excited about the Corwin Bridge project and are grateful that our DPW team has taken the initiative to repurpose the panels from the Tappan Zee Bridge,” Neuhaus said. “Utilizing these panels on a variety of County projects will save our taxpayers approximately $770,000. Our DPW staff was proactive in obtaining the panels and the residents of Orange County will benefit from their forethought and hard work.”
In May, Orange County became the first County in New York State to receive panels from the Tappan Zee Bridge when it was dismantled last summer. The New York State Thruway Authority delivered 14 of the 150 panels to Orange County. Each panel is worth approximately $55,000. The rest of the panels were distributed throughout the State.
According to Denega, the panels will be used to build four highway bridges and two rail to trail bridges. The concrete and steel panels are approximately 13 feet by 50 feet, 8.5 inches thick and weigh 50 tons each. The Corwin Bridge carries County Route 11, known as Mount Hope Road, over the Shawangunk Kill in the Town of Mount Hope. The panels are expected to considerably shorten the construction timetable and reduce the cost of the project by more than $160,000.
The Tappan Zee Bridge panels are scheduled to be set on the Corwin Bridge in September and the project will be completed by the end of November.
“We’re very proud that Orange County is the first County in the State to receive the Tappan Zee panels and utilize them so quickly,” Denega said. “Our staff of bridge engineers have done an excellent job planning for the acceptance and use of the panels on our vehicular and pedestrian bridges. County road and bridge infrastructure is vital to the region and I want to thank County Executive Neuhaus, the County Legislature, the state Department of Transportation and the Thruway Authority for their support during this important project.”
For more information, contact Justin Rodriguez, Assistant to the County Executive for Communications and Media Relations at 845.291.3255 or jrodriguez@orangecountygov.com.
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