New York Construction Report staff writer
Major construction is underway on a $64.1-million infrastructure project that will overhaul a transportation corridor in Steuben County and improve access to the City of Hornell and surrounding communities.
The Hornell Gateway Corridor project, led by the New York State Department of Transportation, will reconstruct nearly three miles of State Route 36, reconfigure intersections and introduce new features aimed at improving safety, traffic flow and connectivity in the Southern Tier.
The project is one of the largest ever undertaken by NYSDOT in the region and is designed to support continued commercial and industrial growth along the corridor, which carries approximately 13,000 vehicles daily.
Phase one of the project, valued at $36.6 million, is now underway in the southbound lanes and will focus on rehabilitating and reconstructing the four-lane roadway from Adsit Street to Webbs Crossing Road. Work includes new asphalt, upgraded drainage systems, guiderails and traffic signals, as well as narrowed intersections to improve pedestrian safety.
A key component of the project is the addition of a multi-use path — up to 12 feet wide in some areas — along the west side of the corridor to accommodate pedestrians and cyclists. The path will connect to regional trail systems and extend over the Canisteo River and Carrington Creek, with a prefabricated pedestrian bridge planned at Big Creek.
Additional upgrades in Phase 1 include new curbs and lighting, a signalized left-turn lane at Bethesda Drive, a reconfigured entrance to Hornell Plaza to reduce congestion, and a new roundabout at Webbs Crossing Road. Bridge rehabilitation work will also take place, including widening the southbound bridge over the Canisteo River to accommodate the shared-use path.
The project will also support improved access to local industry, including a new connection to a street being developed by the City of Hornell to serve a nearby industrial park that includes Alstom. Overhead sign structures at the Interstate 86 interchange will also be replaced.
State Route 36, originally constructed in the 1970s, has seen increased demand due to significant commercial and industrial development, as well as rising pedestrian and cycling activity.
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said the project will modernize the corridor and support long-term economic growth.
“This generational Hornell Gateway Corridor Project will be a game changer for the City of Hornell,” Dominguez said. “We are ready to break ground and transform State Route 36 into a state-of-the-art transportation hub that will better serve all users of the transportation network, fuel economic activity and bring new opportunities for commerce and recreation to the entire region.”
Major construction on the southbound lanes is scheduled for the 2026 construction season, with northbound work to follow in 2027. Phase one is expected to be completed by fall 2027.
Phase two, currently in design, will focus on the southern portion of the corridor within the City of Hornell. Planned improvements include enhanced pedestrian crossings, additional sidewalks, new lighting and landscaping, and expanded connections to local industrial sites. The second phase is expected to go to tender in 2027.
