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If you’re plotting a weekend escape from the city this summer, you might want to rethink your departure time—or at least your expectations. The New York State Thruway Authority has kicked off a season full of major infrastructure projects, and they’re set to slow down just about every major route out of town.
From the Hudson Valley to Niagara Falls, drivers will encounter more than 40 active construction zones scattered across the 570-mile Thruway system. That includes the busy I-87 corridor, where a $19.4 million bridge deck replacement in Rockland County is already causing delays near Nyack, and I-90 west, where work around Buffalo, Rochester and Ontario County is expected to disrupt traffic throughout the summer and beyond.
Construction crews are tackling everything from bridge repairs and pavement rehab to new safety upgrades and digital signage. In Montgomery County, near the foot of the Adirondacks, the state is investing $12.3 million to overhaul a bridge over Route 5S, an effort that will reroute traffic, reduce lanes and stretch well into 2026. Meanwhile, a separate $61 million pavement and culvert repair project in Ontario and Monroe counties is closing ramps, narrowing lanes and detouring local roads near Canandaigua Lake and Eastview Mall.
All of this adds up to some grim travel math: lower speed limits, one-lane bottlenecks and overnight shutdowns, particularly Thursday through Sunday. Don’t count on a stress-free ride over holiday weekends either—those will be prime time for congestion, even in rural stretches.
Still, the Thruway Authority insists the inconvenience is worth it. With aging bridges, weather-beaten asphalt and increasing traffic volume, they argue the time is right to invest in the long-term health of the system. The current capital plan allocates $2.7 billion to improvements between now and 2029, including upgrades to safety features, tolling tech and overall infrastructure lifespan.
So yes, you can still head upstate for fresh air and mountain hikes—but don’t expect to get there without some bumps in the road. With crews hard at work and cones in every direction, summer 2025 might go down as the season of the scenic detour.