Sue Serino Prioritizes Highway and Bridge Infrastructure Improvements

Poughkeepsie… Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino has proposed a $10.36 million bond resolution to fund the Dutchess County 2026 Capital Road and Bridge Improvement Program for ongoing improvements to the 395-mile County Highway system, which includes 375 bridges and major culverts, to ensure public safety and long-term infrastructure resilience.

Dutchess County Public Works Commissioner Robert Balkind will outline the plan for the Dutchess County Legislature’s Public Works and Capital Projects Committee on Thursday, April 9. The total cost of the 2026 Capital Road and Bridge Improvement Program is $16.88 million, with the County anticipating receiving annual funding from various New York State programs including Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS), PaveNY, Extreme Winter Recovery, and Pave Our Potholes (POP) programs.

“Investing in our infrastructure is one of the most responsible things we can do for the future of Dutchess County,” said County Executive Sue Serino. “It is important to do ongoing maintenance and repairs and take a long view of projects that will be done in the coming years.  Continual, proactive maintenance and replacement ensure our road network is safe and reliable for our residents, visitors, business, and emergency services.”

This year’s request includes funding for the following programs:

• Bridge & Culvert Improvements – $11.28 million
• Pavement Management – $2.75 million
• Misc. Highway, Safety & Drainage Improvements (including guide rail replacement) – $ 2.85 million

Major projects in the request include:

• South Mill Road Bridges (R-13 & R-14) over Landsburg Creek and Landsman Kill in the Town of Rhinebeck
• Barmore Road Bridge (L-8) over Sprout Creek in the Town of LaGrange
• Salisbury Turnpike Bridge (M-20) over Little Wappinger Creek in the Town of Milan
• North Jackson Street Bridge (F-2) in the Town of Fishkill
• Drainage improvement project on Osborne Hill Road in the Town of Wappinger
• Multiple culvert replacement projects in North East, Beekman, Dover, Pawling, Wappinger, Stanford, and Hyde Park

“This program reflects years of engineering analysis, local coordination and strategic prioritization to maximize taxpayer dollars and County investment,” said Public Works Commissioner Robert Balkind. “From resurfacing roads to replacing aging bridges, every project contributes to a safer, more resilient transportation network and improves quality of life for everyone who travels in Dutchess County.”

The Dutchess County Legislature will vote on the proposed program at its full board meeting on Monday, April 13th.