Comptroller’s report finds New York’s bridges in worse condition than most

Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger said making sure county-owned bridges are in good condition is a top priority. It’s a mindset that more and more local officials in New York state will have to share, following a report that shows the state lags behind most states in bridge quality.

“We’re in the top five in terms of the number of bridges,” Metzger said of the county. “We have the Catskills, we have a lot of streams, Hudson tributaries and things like that. So the number of bridges, it’s a lot for a rural county to improve. But we have to do it.”

That report from State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli found that nearly 9% of New York’s bridges were in poor condition, going back to reports in 2023. Ulster County’s high number of bridges also means it has more poorly rated ones: more than 40. That number includes bridges owned by the county, local cities and towns, and the state DOT and Thruway Authority. DiNapoli says there are a number of reasons behind the deterioration of The bridges of New York.

“There’s no question that we’ve had more extreme weather across our state,” DiNapoli said. “There’s no question that until recently, there wasn’t as much money available for improvements. So I think it’s a combination of factors.”

State governments have responded by launching the Bridge NY program, which allows local municipalities to tap into state and federal funds to repair bridges. Since 2017, the program has allocated nearly $1.7 billion in funding, but those working on the ground to address the problem say more investment is needed.

“The state has invested more money in the Bridge New York program,” DiNapoli said. “I think continuing to make that a priority as we move forward in future budgets and letting localities know how they can access that money would be a smart way for the state to help localities.”

In Ulster County, repair work is already underway on some of the lowest-ranked bridges. But continued work with state partners will be needed to secure assistance to repair more.

“We’re constantly asking for more money and we understand this is a huge state,” Metzger said. “New York is a huge state. We have a lot of infrastructure to invest in. But you know, that’s the bulk of what the government needs to fund.”