Bear Mountain Bridge
Deck Replacement Project
Join us for a Public Meeting!
The New York State Bridge Authority invites you to a public meeting to learn more about the Bear Mountain Bridge Deck Replacement Project and to share your input on the project’s concept designs!
Thursday, March 13, 2024 at 6pm
Desmond-Fish Public Library
472 NY-403, Garrison, NY 10524
CLICK HERE to register to attend.
Have questions or want to request interpretation during the meeting?
Email us: bearmountainbridgeproject@gmail.com
¿Tiene preguntas o desea solicitar interpretación durante la reunión pública? Envíanos un correo electrónico.
The Bear Mountain Bridge is a vital connection carrying NYS Routes 6 and 202 and the Appalachian Trail over the Hudson River. Opened in 1924, this 2,255-foot-long suspension bridge has served vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists for a century. The primary goal of this project is to replace the aging bridge deck, ensuring the safety and longevity of the bridge. Additionally, the project will widen sidewalks to improve accessibility, and will aim to minimize disruptions to the community during construction by keeping at least one sidewalk accessible to pedestrians during the entirety of the project.
Project Area
Celebrating 100 Years: A Century of Innovation and Legacy
As the New York State Bridge Authority's oldest bridge, the Bear Mountain Bridge was a trailblazer in modern bridge design. Opened on Thanksgiving Day in 1924, it was the first vehicular river crossing between New York City and Albany, the longest suspended span in the world at the time of its construction, and the first suspended bridge built with a concrete deck. Its construction marked the start of a golden age of long-span bridges along the Hudson River, but also paved the way for iconic structures like the George Washington and Golden Gate bridges.
Originally built to address the growing popularity of Bear Mountain State Park, the bridge replaced ferry services that couldn’t handle the rising crowds and automobiles. Privately funded under a 1922 legislative act, it opened to traffic in 1924 and became state-owned 16 years later in 1940.
Under the New York State Bridge Authority, tolls dropped from $0.80 to $0.25 by 1945, with eastbound-only tolls matching rates across the Authority’s spans. Annual crossings have surged from 363,000 during World War II to over 7 million in 2024.
In 2018, it was ceremonially renamed the Purple Heart Veterans Memorial Bear Mountain Bridge, honoring soldiers wounded or killed in service and highlighting the Hudson Valley's military heritage. The bridge reached its 100th anniversary in 2024 and remains a vital and historic link in the Hudson Valley.
