Updated Travel Alert: Thruway to close between orange and ulster counties

Northbound lanes of the Thruway (Interstate 87) from exit 17 in Newburgh to exit 18 in New Paltz are scheduled to be fully shut down beginning at 8pm on Saturday, January 13 for at least 12 hours so a damaged portion of the Brookside Road overpass in New Paltz could be removed over northbound lanes. The Plattekill Service Area will be closed as well beginning at 5pm on January 13, 2024. Motorists will be detoured to leave the Thruway and travel via Interstate 84 and Route 9W.

Two southbound lanes are scheduled to be closed January 20-21, weather permitting, to remove the remainder of the overpass.

The Brookside Road overpass has been closed since May of 2023 after it was hit by over-height vehicles nine times in 2023, and 27 times since 2019. The collisions have caused “considerable damage to the steel that supports the overpass and decreased the amount of weight it can safety carry.”

Here’s what motorists and residents should expect on the evening of Saturday, January 13:

At 5 p.m. Saturday, the Plattekill Service Area along the northbound Thruway in Ulster County – located between exits 17 and 18 – will close, and all customers will be required to leave the facility to ensure the roadway is clear of motorists. No food, restrooms or fuel services will be available. Commercial vehicles may be required to leave the service area even earlier to avoid delays in departure.
At 8 p.m. Saturday, all traffic on the northbound Thruway will be required to leave the highway at exit 17 in Newburgh.
Saturday night into Sunday morning – Crews will work to remove the overpass over the highway.
On Sunday morning, the detour at northbound exit 17 will be lifted and two travel lanes will be available except in the construction zone where there will only be one travel lane available. The Plattekill service area will reopen at this time.
On Sunday, work will continue to remove the overpass, away from the travel lane.
The second travel lane through the construction zone will open as soon as safely possible.
Inclement weather could cause this work to be rescheduled.