Metro-North; city of Mount Vernon partnering on trio of bridge replacements

Metro-North Railroad and the city of Mount Vernon, N.Y., have agreed to work together to replace up to three bridges that carry vehicular traffic over Metro-North's New Haven Line. The bridges are located at Tenth Avenue, Sixth Avenue and North 14th Avenue.

“Our administration has made it a top priority to rebuild our infrastructure and, by replacing these century-old bridges, we are taking an important step toward preserving and improving a vital part of our transportation system and providing peace of mind to the motorists who depend on it,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “I am proud that the state is joining with our local and federal partners to move these important projects forward.”

The design and replacement project is estimated to cost $10 million with the bulk of the funding ($7 million) to be provided by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Capital Program. Another $1.3 million has been secured by New York State Assemblyman J. Gary Pretlow. The city of Mount Vernon anticipates receiving $1.8 million in federal funds obtained by Rep. Elliot Engel’s (D-NY-16) Office.

Metro-North President Joseph Giulietti said, “We are pleased to be working together with the city of Mount Vernon to facilitate the renewal of these century-old structures that run over our tracks. We thank local, state and federal representatives for understanding the importance of funding these projects.”

Rep. Engel said, “I am pleased that the MTA, state and federal governments were able to come together to fund this important transportation initiative. Investing in our infrastructure will create numerous jobs within the district in addition to improving our aging transportation system.”

Once funding is secured, Metro-North will solicit contractors for the design and construction work necessary for the project. Upon completing the design and finalizing cost estimates, the parties will determine whether three or two bridges will be replaced based on the available funding.