New Span Over Unadilla River Will Enhance Safety on Key Travel Route

OTSEGO COUNTY—New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez announced on Thursday, May 8 that work is underway on an $11.8 million project to replace the bridge carrying State Route 23 over the Unadilla River between the hamlet of South New Berlin in Chenango County and the towns of Morris and Butternuts in Otsego County.

According to a press release, the project will replace a 76-year-old structure with a modern, two-span bridge that will enhance safety and improve resiliency along an important travel route that connects the cities of Norwich and Oneonta, and provides access to popular recreational destinations in the area, including the Wagner Farm and General Jacob Morris state forests. Additional improvements will also facilitate access to the Unadilla River for fishing, kayaking and canoeing.

“In projects big and small, New York continues to make historic investments in infrastructure that connect communities and improve quality of life all across the Empire State,” Commissioner Dominguez said. “This bridge replacement project will…help ensure continued, efficient travel along one of the region’s most important corridors for the movement of people and goods, while its wider shoulders and improved river access will also make it easier for residents and visitors to explore the region’s natural beauty by foot, bike, canoe or kayak.”

The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026 and will replace the existing three-span, 200-foot-long bridge—originally built in 1949—with a two-span bridge that will allow for improved river flow and reduce long-term maintenance costs. The new structure will also be wider, featuring 11-foot travel lanes and 8-foot shoulders that will better accommodate pedestrians, cyclists, and farm equipment. Improvements will also be made to an adjacent river access point, reducing the drop off between land and water and making it easier to fish and launch canoes and kayaks.

To reduce traffic impacts and negate the need for a lengthy detour during construction, a temporary, one-lane bridge will be erected at the site. Travel along State Route 23 in the area will be reduced to a single lane with alternating flows of traffic controlled by temporary signals. The river access site adjacent to the bridge will remain open for anglers, kayakers and canoes.