NYSDOT announces bridge replacement over CSX track

An $8.2 million project is underway to replace the U.S. Route 11 bridge over CSX track in the town of Dekalb in St. Lawrence County, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) announced late last week.

The project begins east of State Route 812 and ends near County Route 19. The new bridge will be founded on driven piles and have reinforced concrete substructures, which will provide greater lateral clearance for the CSX rail line that passes beneath, NYSDOT officials said in a press release.

Wider shoulders will be put in place, allowing for safer use by pedestrians, cyclists and Amish buggies. It will also include concrete barriers and pedestrian fencing along the bridge for safety, they said.

Route 11 is critical to the region's economy, as it is a primary corridor for the movement of commercial goods between Watertown and Plattsburgh and provides connectivity to major upstate colleges and universities, department officials said.

Traffic through the project will be controlled by temporary traffic signals. The $8.2 million project was awarded to Rifenburg Construction of Troy, New York, and is expected to be completed by late December 2019.

"The replacement of this bridge will help ensure that the region's infrastructure will continue to support economic activity in the North Country for years to come," said NYSDOT Acting Commissioner Paul Karas.