Bridge on Route 116 in North Salem reopened with one-lane traffic

NORTH SALEM, N.Y. -

A North Salem bridge that had had weight restrictions put on it six years ago is finally being replaced.

The concrete span carries traffic on Route 116 over the Titicus River just west of Hilltop Drive near the New York-Connecticut border.

Route 116 is a key commuter route, extending toward Connecticut to the east, and bringing traffic through town to I-684 and the train station in the hamlet of Purdys.

Last month, the state Department of Transportation announced that the bridge would be off limits to all traffic between March 2 and March 4 for the beginning of the project.

It was reopened with one lane of traffic on Thursday, March 5.

The bridge was deemed unsafe by the DOT in 2024 and they stabilized it with some extra shoring while they drew up plans to replace it, according to North Salem Supervisor Warren Lucas.

He noted that first responders have controls to override the traffic lights in emergency situations.

“I know this is an inconvenience for many. Thank you for taking it all in stride,” Lucas said in an online post.

The new configuration will remain in effect for the duration of the subsequent construction phases.

Temporary automated traffic signals will be installed at each end to manage alternating two-way traffic.

To ensure public awareness, Advanced Portable Variable Message Boards were deployed in mid-February to inform the traveling public about the closure.

PAST SAFETY CONCERNS

Back in April of 2020, after routine inspections found rust in the bridge’s undercarriage, the DOT set a weight limit there of 16 tons, or 32,000 pounds.

That concerned Croton Falls Fire Department officials, who noted that their water tanker truck weighed 66,000 pounds.

At the time, there were about 100 homes and a couple of horse farms east of the bridge.

There are no hydrants in North Salem, so tanker trucks are a necessity when fighting fires.

(Ambulances and smaller fire vehicles were good to go.)

Going around the backroads was a solution either, not only because of the added response time but because the weight limit on another, older bridge wasn’t known.

The town and the DOT worked out a solution, allowing the fire department tanker to cross, as long as it only used the westbound lane.

Worries remained in certain quarters of the community back then about commercial vehicles routinely ignoring the weight limit signs and contributing to the bridge’s deterioration.

Local highway officials assured the public that the circa-1957 bridge was safe to cross.

KEY BRIDGES TARGETED

Last September, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the state was setting aside $16.4 million to “rehabilitate” four key bridges in the lower Hudson Valley.

The Route 116 span was one of them.

According to the DOT, that project was expected to cost $3.9 million.

The others were the Interstate 287 bridges over the Saw Mill River Parkway and the Bronx River Parkway in Westchester County, and the State Route 59 bridge over South Pascack Road in Rockland County.

According to the state, the North Salem project will include the installation of new, fully continuous and jointless bridge decks. This is intended to lessen noise pollution, reduce long-term maintenance costs and create smoother riding surfaces.

There will also be new road surfaces, new steel girder installations, concrete abutment repairs, and utility work, according to the 2025 press release.

Warm mix asphalt will also be utilized, and other materials onsite will be recycled and reused as applicable, it said.

The work will increase the load carrying capacity of the structures and remove weight restrictions.

The project is expected to be completed by the fall of 2026.

The news had been welcomed by state lawmakers and local officials.

Said state Sen. Pete Harckham (D-South Salem), “The safety of our roadway and bridges statewide is an imperative, so the maintenance and updating of this infrastructure has to be prioritized.”

Rehabbing the Route 116 bridge, he added, “will benefit residents, business owners and others while helping area communities economically.”

Assemblyman Chris Burdick (D-Bedford) agreed that it was “vital” to take care of highway bridges for the safety of residents.

The repairs will not only improve safety, they will also reduce noise, he said in 2025, adding: “This rehabilitation is much needed and will be to the benefit of all.”

Lucas was quoted in 2025 as saying that the bridge was a crucial transportation link for the community.

“It serves not only our residents, but also regional traffic coming from Connecticut, and provides the only timely route for larger emergency service vehicles -- making its structural integrity essential for public safety,” he said, thanking the state “for providing the resources to make this important project a reality.”

GOOD TO KNOW

For further information, call the DOT’s field office at (845) 270-6031.