New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a step forward in the project to replace the Livingston Avenue Railroad Bridge in Albany and Rensselaer.
The State Department of Transportation (DOT) will host public hearings on May 31 and June 1, giving Capital Region residents an important opportunity to learn about this transformative project and provide input. The new $32.8 billion DOT capital plan includes up to $400 million to replace the existing Civil War-era bridge with a new, modern structure capable of supporting higher-speed passenger rail, freight rail, maritime transport and bicycle-pedestrian access. The bridge provides a critical link for passenger rail service from the Northeast Corridor to Albany-Rensselaer.
"Anyone who rides the rails in upstate New York knows all too well the travel delays caused by the antiquated Livingston Avenue Bridge," Gov. Hochul said. "Replacing this relic of the 19th century will not only improve passenger and freight rail service throughout New York, but it will also provide bikers, hikers and pedestrians with a new, safer way to cross the Hudson River. Today marks a major step forward in this transformative project, and I encourage all interested Capital Region residents to attend one of the public hearings."
The Livingston Avenue Passenger Rail Bridge was built over the Hudson River in 1865. It connects Rensselaer and Albany by rail and provides a critical path for passenger rail service from New York City to Western New York. Deterioration of the current structure, owned by CSX and leased to Amtrak, limits trains crossing to one at a time at speeds of 15 MPH. The new bridge will accommodate improved passenger service.
The current movable swing bridge would be replaced with a new lift-type bridge which would bring the structure up to modern standards for height, width and speeds for passenger and freight trains and more reliably accommodate marine traffic using the Hudson River. The new bridge will be located south of the existing bridge on a parallel alignment and would carry two railroad tracks. The approach track work will include improvements to the triangular junction of rail tracks on the Rensselaer side to facilitate train turning movements and the rehabilitation and reconfiguration of the rail bridges over Water and Centre Streets on the Albany side. The new bridge will also include a separated shared use path connecting to the Albany Skyway and Empire State Trail to the city of Rensselaer.
Construction is slated to begin by the end of 2023. Completion of the new bridge, which is expected by the end of 2026, will build on the success of previous projects in an around the city of Albany, including the Albany Skyway, which transformed an underutilized exit ramp from northbound Interstate 787 into an elevated park that connected the city's downtown to the Hudson River; and the landmark Empire State Trail, which spans 750 miles and runs from New York City through the Hudson and Champlain Valleys to Canada, and from Albany to Buffalo along the Erie Canal.
"It is beyond exciting that we are moving forward with the long-awaited replacement of the Livingston Avenue Railroad Bridge. The $400 million investment by Gov. Kathy Hochul, coupled with a portion of the $16 billion secured by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for Amtrak infrastructure repairs nationwide, will help complete this shovel-ready project that will not only revitalize the bridge next to the ninth-busiest train station in the nation, but will create a pedestrian and bicycle friendly path across the Hudson River -- further connecting Albany and our Riverfront with points east," said Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan. "I urge residents and those who have advocated for a new Livingston Avenue Bridge to join these public hearings to learn more and take advantage of this input opportunity to share what they would like to see as part of the new structure."
