Your commute is about to get much shorter thanks to busy Central New York exits reopening.

Construction is finally over on the State Route 8 bridge over Routes 5 & 12 in New Hartford. Although major construction has been completed, minor finishing work is still taking place and there will still be intermittent lane closures in both directions during the coming weeks.

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A Very Long Project

The project itself started back in December 2020, when the $11.8 million contract was awarded to the NYS Department of Transportation (DOT) to replace the 1960 structure. Since then, there have been $1.7 million in cost changes approved for the bridge.

Not only have the costs changed, but so has the completion date. The original contract completion date was set for May 5, 2022. Like most projects of this size, they get delayed due to a number of different factors. Weather is usually always the most common culprit.

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Higher Bridge, Better Roads

The new, two-span bridge is nearly 2 feet higher. The exit ramps have been resurfaced along with new signs and lights.

"This corridor over State Routes 12 and 5 that connects Utica and New Hartford is a vital travel route for residents and visitors of this region," Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente said. "It connects thousands of drivers to key businesses and services each day."

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