Route 52 bridge over I-84 to shift traffic west Wednesday

NYSDOT warned Orange County motorists Tuesday that traffic was expected to shift to the west side of the State Route 52 bridge over Interstate 84 in the Town of Newburgh on Wednesday, June 24, weather permitting. The change hit a corridor many Orange County drivers use to reach Newburgh, homes and businesses near Interstate 84 Exit 37.

The shift was part of an under-construction bridge rehabilitation project that also includes Route 304 over Interstate 287 in Clarkstown, Rockland County, and Illington Road over the Taconic State Parkway in Yorktown, Westchester County. The work is meant to provide corrective and preventative maintenance to extend the service life of the bridges, with new road surfaces, steel girder repairs, pier replacements, concrete abutment repairs and utility work all planned.

The Route 52 bridge over I-84 was originally built in 1963. The project bid opening took place on March 14, 2024, and the broader Hudson Valley bridges project is expected to be completed by the summer of 2026.

For Newburgh-area traffic, slower travel is likely through a stretch already known as one of the most heavily traveled portions of Route 52 because it connects to I-84 via Exit 37. Commuters, local delivery fleets and drivers heading to nearby businesses should expect the bridge approach to move differently than on previous trips, with backups most likely where Route 52 funnels into the interstate crossing.

The traffic pattern also followed an earlier NYSDOT advisory that closed Route 52 at Interstate 84 in the Town of Newburgh from April 14 at 7 a.m. through April 15 at 7 p.m. for construction work, weather permitting. NYSDOT directed motorists to 511NY for real-time traffic and road-condition information, including travel times, crash details, traffic cameras and other updates.