The project to replace Albany's Civil War-era Livingston Avenue bridge has come to a halt, for now.
For decades local leaders have been looking to replace the existing bridge over the Hudson River between Rensselaer and Albany with a modern span that would include a pedestrian walkway and bike path.
The span may have to wait until its 125th anniversary before federal money becomes available to replace it. Earlier this month $8.2 billion in U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Administration funding was awarded to 10 projects nationwide. Democratic state Assemblymember Pat Fahy of the 109th district says the Livingston Avenue Railroad Bridge was left out.
"It's been a top priority for all of us here, including the mayor. So it's disappointing," Fahy said. "We were in fierce competition with California and Illinois on some big ticket items, including the high speed rail between Las Vegas and California. So but this was a terrible disappointment before I even came into office. I can distinctly remember, as I was running in 2012. So over 10 years ago now being at an event with Senator Schumer, where he talked about his support, he talked about his priority to upgrade and redo the Livingston Avenue Bridge.”
In April 2018, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer visited Albany following the passage of the bipartisan federal infrastructure law. The Democrat called on Amtrak to consider using a portion of the $16 billion secured for the railroad’s Northeast corridor to revitalize the bridge with a new pedestrian crossing.
"Guess what would happen if this bridge, 115 years old, were to fail, Amtrak passenger service west and north of the Albany-Rensselaer station would be gone. And a whole regional economy would collapse. So you can't keep ignoring this. We've seen in place after place bridges, roads get damaged and the whole economy is suffering," said Schumer.
Public hearings on replacing the span at a projected cost of $400 million were held in May 2022. That December State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez visited Albany city hall, bearing news of a "significant milestone" giving the green light to building a new bridge.
"I'm happy to share that the Federal Rail Administration has issued a 'finding of no significant impact," Dominguez said. "Which marks the end of the environmental review process and allows New York State DOT to move forward into final design for this project. So as we enter the new year, DOT is going to advance its final design and look to put a shovel in the ground, hopefully by the end of next year, and really kick off this project."
According to theDOT's website, the project to complete a "final design" for the bridge "is expected to begin in Spring 2024."
Fahy says the span "must be replaced." She takes the seemingly distant construction and completion goal of 2028 with a grain of salt.
“The finding of the funding is critical," Fahy said. "We had really high hopes on this, that we would be toward the top of this competition. These are again, highly competitive funds when you're competing against, you know, the famed Union Station in Chicago and against Las Vegas and California with a high speed rail link. I mean, those are those are big ticket items on this. We are, you know, definitely a smaller market. But it is an essential one. “
Fahy says she's not sure if the unfinished design affected Albany's chances of getting federal funding. "I don't know if that was a factor. But certainly we still need the design work to be ready as they say to be to make sure this bridge is shovel ready. And now not having made this competition. It does put us out at 2028. And again, disappointing, but it doesn't mean anyone is giving up. I know the mayor has repeatedly emphasized this as a top priority, Capitalize Albany, has had this as a top priority. You can't you know my you know my interest in biking and walkable communities. This is critical link to elevating walkable and bikeable communities, to have that bridge over the Hudson. So it's a big one on multiple fronts. And it's certainly not going to get any less expensive now that we didn't make this cut," said Fahy.
Fahy says its likely that Albany will again look to Senate Majority Leader Schumer to advocate for federal funding.
