I-87 Multimodal Corridor Study HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES Existing Corridor Conditions & Opportunities 2.1. HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES 2.1.1. Introduction Interstate 87 (I-87) provides a direct connection between New York City, the largest metropolitan area in the United States and Montreal, the second largest metropolitan area in Canada through the Champlain/Lacolle border crossing. The I-87 Corridor serves a key role as the major north-south transportation and commerce corridor that connects crossing highways that serve a broad geographic and demographic region, which includes the Mid-Atlantic States, New England, and Eastern Canada representing a total of about 80 million people. As shown in Exhibit 2.1-1, the 350-mile I-87 Corridor starts in Montreal as Autoroute 15 and continues south as the Adirondack Northway from the U.S./Canadian Border to Albany, where is becomes the New York State Thruway and continues south to the Tappan Zee Bridge near New York City. The Primary Study Area along I-87 extends from the U.S./Canadian Border at Exit 43 of the Adirondack Northway to just south of Albany at Interchange 21A of the New York State Thruway. The Primary Study Area also includes US Route 9 and NYS Route 22 that run north- south along the I-87 corridor. East-west connector highways that were evaluated as part of this study include NYS Routes 3, 73, 74, 149, 7, 2, and I-90 through Albany. The following sections define the Primary and Secondary Study areas used in these assessments, and then review the infrastructure and operational conditions found along highways and secondary roadways within these areas. Based on those assessments, areas potentially requiring further studies under Phase II of the I-87 Multimodal Corridor Study are identified, along with a list of improvement concepts for consideration. 2.1.2. Highway Network Analysis Areas (Primary and Secondary) Exhibits 2.1-2 through 2.1-4 provide greater detail regarding the location of the highways and secondary roadways within the Study Area. The Primary Study Area includes the following Interstate segments: 1 • I-87, from the Champlain/Lacolle Border Crossing through Albany to Interchange 21A with the NYS Thruway • International zone, extending about one mile on the Canadian side • I-90 Berkshire Spur of the NYS Thruway • I-90 (non-toll section), from I-787 to I-87 • I-90 (Thruway), from Interchange 25A to Interchange 24 • I-787, from Interchange 23 (NYS Thruway) to NYS Route 32 The secondary roadway network within the Primary Study Area includes: • NYS Route 3, from NYS Route 374 to US Route 9 1 For the purposes of this study, access points on the NYS Thruway portion of I-87, on I-90 and on I-787 will be identified by “Interchange” designations; access points on the Adirondack Northway portion of I-87 will be identified by “Exit” designations. Exit 1 of the Adirondack Northway is coincident with Interchange 24 of the NYS Thruway in Albany. Parsons-Clough Harbour Page 2.1-1 I-87 Multimodal Corridor Study HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES Existing Corridor Conditions & Opportunities • NYS Route 73, from Lake Placid to I-87 (Northway) • NYS Route 74, from I-87 (Northway) to NYS Route 22 • NYS Route 149, from US Route 9 to Vermont State Line • NYS Route 396, from County Route 53 (CR53) to NYS Route 144 • US Route 9, from the U.S./Canadian Border to NYS Route 7 • NYS Route 22, from the U.S./Canadian Border to NYS Route 7 • US Route 4, between NYS 149 and the Vermont state line Parsons-Clough Harbour Page 2.1-2 I-87 Multimodal Corridor Study HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES Existing Corridor Conditions & Opportunities Exhibit 2.1-1: Primary & Secondary Highway Study Areas HIGHWAY STUDY AREAS Montreal PRIMARY AREA • I-87 from Exit 21A to Champlain border crossing • Routes 9 and 22 Plattsburgh • East/west connectors • I-90 • Routes 3, 73, 74, 149 • Route 396 SECONDARY AREA • I-87 from Exit 9 (Tappan Zee Bridge) to Exit 21A • Autoroute 15 from US/Canada border to Montreal Primary Study Area Secondary Study Area Secondary Albany NYC Parsons-Clough Harbour Page 2.1-3 I-87 Multimodal Corridor Study HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES Existing Corridor Conditions & Opportunities Exhibit 2.1-2: Highways & Roads in Study Area Parsons-Clough Harbour Page 2.1-4 I-87 Multimodal Corridor Study HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES Existing Corridor Conditions & Opportunities Exhibit 2.1-3: Highways & Roads in Study Area Parsons-Clough Harbour Page 2.1-5 I-87 Multimodal Corridor Study HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES Existing Corridor Conditions & Opportunities Exhibit 2.1-4: Highways & Roads in Study Area Parsons-Clough Harbour Page 2.1-6 I-87 Multimodal Corridor Study HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES Existing Corridor Conditions & Opportunities The Secondary Study Area consists of the following roadway sections: • I-87 (Thruway), from Interchange 21A just south of Albany to Interchange 9 at the Tappan Zee Bridge • Autoroute 15, from the Champlain/Lacolle border crossing to Montreal. 2.1.3. Existing Conditions Data • Highway/Pavement Conditions The following section presents the assessment of existing highway and pavement conditions in the Primary and Secondary Study Areas. Information regarding these segments was obtained from (1) NYSDOT databases and discussions with NYSDOT and NYSTA staff and with other transportation agency officials, (2) available reports or studies completed for portions of these highways, and (3) drive-through field observations by Study Team members (primarily for the secondary roadways). Interstate Segments Starting at the U.S./Canadian Border, Interstate 87 (Adirondack Northway) is typically a four-lane divided asphalt highway for approximately 125 miles (200 kilometers) to Exit 22 near Lake George, where it becomes a six-lane divided highway for about 60 miles (95 kilometers) to Exit 1 in Albany. Exit 1 of the Adirondack Northway is coincident with Interchange 24 of the New York State Thruway. South of Albany, I-87 becomes the New York State Thruway starting at Interchange 24 and extends south to Interchange 21A in New Baltimore as a four-lane, divided toll system highway. I-87 continues south as primarily a typical four-lane, divided toll highway from Interchange 21A to Interchange 15 where it intersects with I-287 in Suffern. At the I-287 Interchange, I-87 turns east as a shared Interstate with I-287 to Interchange 9 (Tappan Zee Bridge in New York City) as a 6 or 8-lane, divided highway. Based on the New York State Department of Transportation’s (NYSDOT) 2002 Highway Sufficiency Ratings, the general pavement condition of the asphalt pavement along I-87 between the U.S./Canadian Border and the Tappan Zee Bridge is in good to excellent condition. However, there are sections of I-87 that have fair to poor pavement conditions. Fair pavement conditions are those areas where pavement distress is clearly visible. Poor pavement conditions are sections where pavement distress is frequent and may be severe. Poor pavement condition locations have been flagged by the NYSDOT’s computers for further investigation and possible action. Table 2.1-1 summarizes the areas along I-87 with fair to poor pavement condition: Parsons-Clough Harbour Page 2.1-7 I-87 Multimodal Corridor Study HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES Existing Corridor Conditions & Opportunities Table 2.1-1 Locations on I-87 Corridor with Fair/Poor Pavement Ratings Pavement Interstate 87 Condition Rating 1 U.S./Canadian Border to Exit 36 (Plattsburgh) Fair 2 At Essex County Line b/w Exitss 34 and 33 Fair 3 Exit 30 (at Route 73) Fair 4 Between Exits 29 and 28 (North Hudson) Poor 5 Between Exits 27 and 25 (Schroon Lake) Fair 6 Between Exits 17 and 15 (Saratoga County) Fair 7 Near Exit 13 (Saratoga Springs) Fair 8 Exit 5 (Route 155) Fair 9 Between Exits 2 and 1 Fair 10 Between Interchanges 24 and 23 on Thruway (Albany) Fair 11 Interchange 18 on Thruway (New Paltz) Fair Source: NYSDOT 2002 Highway Sufficiency Ratings. Interstate 90 (non-toll section) is primarily an east/west route across Albany and Rensselaer Counties providing toll-free access from the New York State Thruway/Adirondack Northway interchange to Berkshire Spur section of the Thruway and on to the Massachusetts Turnpike. This 20-mile section of I-90 is typically a six-lane divided highway for approximately 15 miles from its westerly starting point to east of Interchange 11 (providing access to Routes 9 and 20) in Schodack, Rensselaer County. The remaining 5 miles is a four-lane divided highway between Interchange 11 and the toll barrier at the Berkshire Spur. The interchanges on the non-toll section of I-90 are designated as Interchanges 1 through 12 before terminating at Interchange B1. At Interchange B1, the non-toll section of I-90 terminates at the Berkshire Spur section of the Thruway. The Berkshire Spur is the segment of the Thruway System which runs in an east/west direction between Interchange 21A of the NYS Thruway and the end of the non-toll section of I-90. From Interchange B1, I-90 continues in an east/west direction toward Hartford, Connecticut and Boston, Massachusetts. At the New York/Massachusetts state line and heading toward the east I-90 is typically known as the Massachusetts Turnpike. From Interchange 24 at the New York State Thruway to the I-787 Interchange/Patroon Island crossing of the Hudson River, the Portland cement concrete pavement condition is poor with many defects. The pavement surface changes to asphalt east of the Patroon Island Crossing and generally improves to good condition to the Berkshire Spur at Interchange B1. The Berkshire Spur and I-90 between Interchange 21A and Massachusetts are typically four-lane divided highways with asphalt driving surfaces.