Horseheads Bypass Interchange (I-86) & Linear Park

The New York State Department of Transportation and Bergmann upgraded NYS Route 17 to interstate standards, supporting federal legislation and statewide goals for the creation of Interstate 86. Five at-grade intersections serving over 30,000 vehicles per day were eliminated with an elevated expressway on the existing alignment. The construction cost was 10% under the engineer’s estimate, within budget, and was completed on schedule with minimal issues.

Bergmann completed scoping, developed an Environmental Impact Statement, designed and supported the reconstruction effort on NYS Route 17. The project benefited from early, effective, and continuous public involvement. A Community Task Force formed during scoping provided input to the design team and guided context-sensitive solutions. Later, an Aesthetics Task Force was assembled to engage community leaders, business people, and neighbors in complementing the Village’s scenic, historic, and recreational resources with the design of the expressway.

To mitigate the effect of the new bypass, Bergmann landscape architects designed a new urban linear park. This park comprises a serpentine walkway bordered by a native vegetative buffer. The linear park also serves as an off-road connector between the residential community and the local school. Brick pier gateways and decorative steel fencing define the park’s entries at each intersection crossing. Local historic bricks once manufactured in Horseheads were salvaged and incorporated into the piers, providing a connection to the past.