SILVER CREEK, N.Y. (WKBW) — The New York State Thruway Authority announced Tuesday it has completed construction on a long neglected four-mile stretch of the New York State Thruway that runs through the Seneca Nation.
The Seneca Nation and New York State came to an agreement to address the need for repairs on the stretch of the I-90 between exit 57A (Eden – Angola) and exit 58 (Silver Creek) in September 2019.
"After a long five years, we are very pleased that the Nation finally agrees that this work must be completed as soon as possible. I’d like to thank Governor Cuomo for ensuring safety for all of New York’s drivers by bringing this issue to the forefront and exposing unnecessary delays to repair," Seneca Nation President Rickey Armstrong, Sr. said in September.
The repairs took place in two phases, with phase one beginning in the fall and phase two beginning in the spring.
Approximately 14 lane miles were repaired and replaced as part of the $20.8 million project. Officials say the project was completed weeks early and on budget.
“Our focus from the start was to provide a safe and reliable roadway that the millions of drivers that travel this section each year deserve, and I am proud to announce that we have delivered on that promise weeks earlier than planned,” Thruway Authority Executive Director Matthew J. Driscoll said. “We thank the Seneca Nation for their partnership and for working with us as we completed this project which utilized Nation employees and equipment.”
In addition to the repairs to the road, the following safety upgrades were made:
- Replacement of more than 20,000 linear feet (approximately 3.75 miles) of guiderail.
- Drainage improvements.
- New roadway striping for enhanced visibility.
Officials say Union Concrete and Construction Corp. of West Seneca completed the second phase of the project.
The speed limit has been returned to 65 MPH on that four-mile stretch of the thruway.
