The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) announced this week that a $1.4 million replacement project for the culverts of Allegany County has been completed.
Work covered State Route 417 in Andover, N.Y., and State Route 248 in Independence, N.Y. The work began this spring to mitigate flood risk and enhance safety along critical agricultural delivery and trucking routes for the area.
“By upgrading infrastructure at key locations along our transportation network, we are enhancing the safety of the traveling public while ensuring critical access to the many agricultural, commercial, and emergency vehicles that cross these routes each day,” NYSDOT Commissioner Therese Dominguez said. “Culvert replacement projects not only harden our infrastructure; they help spur economic development all across New York State.”
Aging concrete structures were replaced with precast concrete box culverts, which the NYSDOT says will allow more efficient water flow beneath the roadways and reduce the demand for maintenance.
“Several devastating floods that have occurred in Allegany County in recent years have reminded us of how dangerous and disruptive these events can be to a community,” state Sen. George Borrello said. “That is why I applaud the news that this critical culvert replacement project is now complete. These improvements will reduce the risk of flooding, enhancing public safety and the flow of commerce in the Southern Tier. A solid infrastructure is essential to moving our region forward, and this achievement is an important step in that direction.”
While work on the project was ongoing, the Route 417 site used temporary construction signals to maintain traffic, while the Route 248 site used a short-term offsite detour to minimize driver impact.