New York Construction Report staff writer
New York state has broken ground on a $150.5 million project to build a new centralized materials testing laboratory for the state Department of Transportation (NYSDOT).
The 114,500-sq. ft. Central Testing Laboratory at the W. Averell Harriman State Office Building Campus is expected to be completed in fall 2029.
The facility will replace NYSDOT’s more than 60-year-old testing operations, which are currently spread across two outdated buildings. The new laboratory will consolidate those operations and provide additional space for testing equipment, laboratories, large vehicles and training.
NYSDOT’s central laboratory conducts about 100,000 tests each year, evaluating the chemical, physical and performance characteristics of thousands of materials used on transportation projects across New York.
The testing helps ensure materials used in road and bridge construction meet state and federal safety, quality and performance standards. An accredited central state laboratory is also required by the Federal Highway Administration.
“The foundation of which begins with a laboratory that has the testing capacity to certify that the materials the Department uses are the safest and most dependable products in the nation,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement.
The new facility will include 17 core laboratories and a high-bay strength laboratory with a custom testing frame rated for loads of up to 1 million pounds.
The building also will have a modern training area with retractable walls, office and warehouse space, and garage facilities with three drive-through double bays for large vehicles and trailers.
Specialized equipment and spaces will include an environmental chamber, overhead crane, forklift charging stations and a traffic signal testing wall.
The laboratory will allow NYSDOT to expand testing of asphalt and concrete performance mixes and other materials used on the state’s roads and bridges.
The department also plans to continue testing and developing lower-carbon transportation materials while ensuring they meet required technical and performance standards.
The new building is designed to meet New York state’s sustainability standards and will operate entirely on electricity.
Heating and cooling will be provided by a geothermal system using wellfields extending about 800 feet underground. The site also will include electric vehicle charging stations for state fleet vehicles.
NYSDOT said its existing facilities continue to perform critical testing but no longer meet modern building and laboratory standards or the department’s needs.
The new facility is intended to provide room for updated testing equipment and allow the department to adapt to new materials, technologies and construction methods.
Construction is expected to continue through 2029, with completion targeted for fall of that year.
