Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that major construction is complete on a $121 million project that reconstructed the Major Deegan Expressway (I-87) in both directions between West 161st Street and the Alexander Hamilton Bridge. This significant construction project will improve traffic flow, enhance safety, and encourage economic growth in the Bronx, allowing traffic and goods to move more efficiently through New York City and beyond via this key corridor.
“The Major Deegan Expressway is a crucial route for commuters and commercial vehicles heading to and from New York City,” Governor Hochul said. “The modernization of this important segment of infrastructure will enhance the traveling experience for all motorists, improve traffic flow, and encourage commerce via this key interstate artery.”
As part of the project, a northbound auxiliary lane was added between West 161st Street and Depot Place, which will reduce backups that have occurred historically at this location as motorists exited and entered the highway, including from Sedgwick Avenue. By giving motorists more space to merge, the new lane also eases congestion in the existing left and middle lanes – ensuring that traffic headed to Westchester County and other northern destinations is now expedited.
Additionally, the new auxiliary lane provides motorists on Sedgewick Avenue with direct access to the Cross Bronx Expressway without having to merge onto the Major Deegan Expressway, which eases traffic on local streets. The construction of a new entrance ramp just north of the intersection of Sedgwick and Undercliff Avenues provides additional direct access to the northbound Major Deegan Expressway.
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “This is a major milestone in our continued efforts to rehabilitate the Major Deegan Expressway and surrounding transportation infrastructure in the region. New Yorkers traveling on this important transportation corridor will notice the advantages and benefits immediately on both the state and local transportation networks. With every project that we undertake at the Department of Transportation, we aim to make travel easier while improving the quality of life in the community, and that’s just what this project on the Major Deegan Expressway has accomplished.”
The project eliminated the 2,400-foot-long southbound steel viaduct, which ran from just south of Depot Place to near the ramp from the Major Deegan Expressway to Yankee Stadium, and the 60-foot-long northbound steel viaduct near 161st Street – reducing future maintenance and inspection costs. The viaducts have been replaced with new roadways built on earth fill, and the pavement within the project limits has been reconstructed.
A new traffic signal was installed at the intersection of West 167th Street and Sedgwick Avenue, which has been synchronized with the existing traffic signal on Undercliff Avenue, further improving traffic flow. The crosswalks and sidewalks at this intersection were reconstructed to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.
Other improvements include the replacement of an existing 48” watermain along Sedgwick Avenue that was over 100 years old, the installation of new LED lighting, upgrades to the expressway’s drainage system, a modern traffic management system, including new closed-circuit cameras and fiber optic cables, and the installation of new signs with enhanced reflectivity and improved readability.
Minor finishing work will continue on the bridge carrying Depot Place over the Major Deegan Expressway for the next several weeks. Improvements to this bridge include a new concrete deck and bearings and higher vertical clearance over the northbound and southbound lanes of the Major Deegan Expressway and ramp to I-95, which allows trucks to pass underneath more safely. Additional enhancements to the bridge included steel repairs, replacement of railings with a low concrete wall and fencing, replacement of an 8” watermain with a 12” watermain to increase the line’s capacity, the addition of a new 8” watermain helping to improve the resiliency of the water supply system and upgraded utility lines.
The bridge includes a new 5-foot-wide sidewalk on the north side of the bridge and a new 9-foot-wide sidewalk and 12-foot-wide bikeway along the south side of the bridge. The sidewalks provide ADA compliant routes and crossings from Sedgewick Avenue to the ramp from Depot Place to Exterior Street and the waterfront. The new dedicated bike lane has been integrated into the existing bike route on Sedgwick Avenue.
State Senator Jose M. Serrano said, “The Major Deegan Expressway Rehabilitation Project provided improvements to the expressway in both directions between West 161st Street and the Alexander Hamilton Bridge. The project’s completion will improve safety, reduce congestion and improve traffic flow. Many thanks to Governor Hochul and the NYS Department of Transportation for their work on this issue.”
Assemblymember Latoya Joyner said, “The addition of a protected pedestrian and bike access path as part of the Major Deegan Expressway project improves safety and access to the waterfront for local Bronx families and I greatly appreciate the cooperation shown by NYSDOT and Governor Hochul in making this vital investment in my community.”
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson said, “The completion of the $121 Million reconstruction project on the Major Deegan Expressway in both directions between West 161st Street and the Alexander Hamilton Bridge is great news for our borough, Not only will this improve the traffic flow at a chronically congested section of the highway but will also enhance traffic safety. I want to thank Governor Kathy Hochul and New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez for their work on this project and commitment to improving travel for the residents of our borough.”
Councilmember Diana Ayala said, “The Major Deegan Expressway serves as a vital link, facilitating the needs of commuters and commercial fleets, while also acting as a crucial lifeline for the smooth transportation of goods to and from the Bronx. It is imperative that we maintain and enhance our roadways consistently, ensuring the safety of all those who traverse this expressway. By investing in our transportation infrastructure, we prevent the disregard of essential transit routes within our borough, thereby protecting the economic vibrancy of the Bronx.”
Councilmember Althea Stevens said, “I’m pleased with the investment to reconstruct sections of the Major Deegan expressway. Congestion and backups often lead to unsafe driving behaviors, including sudden lane changes, tailgating, and aggressive driving. The ripple effects of congestion extend beyond the immediate site, causing traffic to back up onto neighboring roads. It’s vital to continue enhancing safety and improving residents’ quality of life.”
Queen Kathy gets credit for this? We paid for it! Just like we paid for the Buffalo Bills stadium that she built with our tax money to pay her husbands salary
“Completed” – until it’s torn up again because of a defect like improper drainage and substandard road surfacing materials or because something else “needs” to be done. Don’t be fooled – highway construction work has always been a favorite of the labor unions – witness the endless construction on the Van Wyck Expressway and the BQE – and any NY politician who wants to keep the unions’ backing had better find ways ti keep them busy. Stay tuned, this project is not “completed”.