New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced the award of the $50-million Albany Airport Connector at Exit 4 of the Adirondack Northway (Interstate 87) in the Town of Colonie, Albany County.
Contractor Lancaster Development and Tully Construction will begin field and surveying work this winter, including clearing and grubbing, earthwork and drainage work for the new ramps, foundation work for the new flyover bridge, and preparation for utility relocations.
The project, which is set to be completed by the spring of 2020, will reconfigure the Exit 4 interchange by creating a flyover for northbound Northway traffic. The new ramp will travel over the Northway, loop behind and to the west of the Desmond Hotel and come to a new T-intersection with Albany-Shaker Rd., close to the airport. For southbound traffic on the Northway, a new off-ramp will be built to travel behind the Desmond Hotel and connect to a flyover ramp that will lead to the new intersection.
Project plans also call for a new, direct on-ramp from Route 155 (Watervliet-Shaker Road) at Exit 5 to the southbound Northway, eliminating the need for the existing frontage ramp off the southbound side of the highway.
On the northbound side, the on-ramp adjacent to the Times Union building will be extended all the way to Exit 5 for Route 155. A noise wall is planned to be built on the northbound side between Exits 4 and 5. The project will also convert the existing northbound Exit 4 off-ramp to allow for right-turn only maneuvers onto Wolf Rd.
The project will also enhance connectivity for pedestrians and bicyclists by providing sidewalks on the south side of Albany Shaker Rd. between the connector road and Wolf Rd., as well as a shared use path between the Albany International Airport and the connector road.
