Governor Hochul Announces Completion of $6.2 Million Painting Project on Douglass-Anthony Bridge in Rochester

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the completion of a $6.2 million preventative maintenance painting project on the Frederick Douglass-Susan B. Anthony Memorial Bridge, which carries Interstate 490 over the Genesee River in the City of Rochester, Monroe County. Funded with support from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this is the first major preventative maintenance project since the bridge opened in 2007. The Douglass-Anthony bridge has come to define the Rochester skyline, serving as a symbol of the City, providing an iconic photo backdrop and drawing accolades for its structural integrity and visual appeal.

"This work on the Douglass-Anthony Memorial Bridge ensures that it will continue to serve as a gateway into the City of Rochester and carry residents and visitors across the Genesee River well into the future," Governor Hochul said. "The soaring arches of this award-winning bridge remind us that ambitious infrastructure projects can contribute to a community's prosperity, resilience, safety and pride, as the bridge also draws attention to the city's rich legacy as the home of pioneering civil rights leaders Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony."

For this project, paint was removed from the bridge's three main arches and 12 braces and multiple coats of zinc and epoxy-based paint were applied to ensure resilience against the elements. These advanced coatings will protect the structural steel from wear and corrosion, reduce the need for future structural maintenance and extend the bridge's service life. The bridge color remained the same and the new paint is anticipated to last 10-15 years before another application is necessary.

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, "I am very grateful to Governor Kathy Hochul for investing in New York's historically significant infrastructure like the iconic Douglass-Anthony Memorial Bridge, a signature structure along Rochester's skyline that exemplifies how infrastructure can be utilized to positively define our communities, honor our history and bring pride to our residents. This project will help maintain the bridge so that the thousands of people who use the bridge daily will continue to be safely served while also honoring the legacy and contributions of two outstanding citizens - Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony."

The Douglass-Anthony Memorial Bridge replaced the previous Troup-Howell bridge, a multi-girder structure that served the community for more than 50 years. Its construction was part of the Department of Transportation's Western Gateway I-490 project, which rehabilitated and modernized aspects of the interstate between the Erie Canal and the Genesee River. The structure took approximately four years to build and opened to traffic on June 18, 2007. It was officially renamed the Frederick Douglass-Susan B. Anthony Memorial Bridge on July 13, 2007, after the famous civil rights activists and suffragists who called Rochester home.

Monroe County Executive Adam Bello said, "The Frederick Douglass-Susan B. Anthony Memorial Bridge stands as a powerful symbol of unity and progress, physically and figuratively linking our community to the legacies of Rochester's most iconic civil rights pioneers. As a gateway for over 70,000 daily travelers, this landmark is essential to our city's movement, and the completed renovation ensures it will remain a safe and striking fixture of our skyline for generations to come. We are grateful to Gov. Kathy Hochul for her support of our community and dedication to essential infrastructure projects like this one that keep New York moving forward."

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