The New York State Thruway Authority says that construction has started on two capital projects on the NYS Thruway (I-90) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) in Erie County.
The projects, totalling $28.8 million, will improve safety and upgrade infrastructure along two high-traffic stretches in Western New York that serve more than 131,000 vehicles a day.
“Motorists on the Thruway in Western New York are seeing their toll dollars at work with these important infrastructure investment projects,” Thruway Authority executive director Matthew Driscoll said in a statement. “Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, the Thruway is improving the roadway, drainage and lighting on these stretches that serve millions of motorists each year, as well as upgrading our sign structures, creating a safer travel experience for everyone.”
A $27.4-million pavement improvement and safety-related project on I-90 and I-190 is being performed by Cold Spring Construction Co. of Akron.
A section of I-90 between exits 48A (Pembroke – Medina – NY Route 77) and exit 49 (Depew – Lockport – NY Route 78) will receive pavement improvements, full depth repairs to travel lanes and shoulders, and milling and resurfacing to approximately 48 lane miles of roadway in the east and west-bound directions. The project includes various safety upgrades such as new guide rails, mile markers, pavement markings, reflective line striping, and improved drainage.
Additional drainage improvements are planned on I-90 between exit 47 (Rochester – LeRoy – I-490 – NY Route 19) and exit 48 (Batavia – NY Route 98) and between exit 52A (Buffalo – William St.) and exit 53 (Buffalo (Downtown) – Canada – Niagara Falls – I-190).
On the Niagara Thruway (I-190), the stretch between exit 6 (Elm St.) to just north of exit 14 (Ontario St. – Vulcan St.) will receive lighting improvements. Light posts, conduits, pull boxes and other lighting fixtures will be replaced. Existing lights will be replaced with high efficiency LED Luminaire fixtures that use less energy and have a longer lifespan.
Work is expected to be completed in 2020.
Another improvement project to replace overhead sign structures on part of the Niagara Thruway (I-190) is also underway. The $1.4-million project is being performed by Oakgrove Construction of Elma, NY and includes the removal and replacement of eight sign structures on I-190 from just before exit 6 (Elm St.) to just before exit 17 (Tonawandas – River Rd. (NY Route 266).
The existing sign structures will be replaced with mono-tube overhead sign structures, which offer improved safety and are more cost efficient.
Work on the sign replacement project is expected to be completed in fall 2019.
