Author: Saratoga TODAY

SCHUYLERVILLE — The New York State Department of Transportation will host a public open house on Wednesday April 23, to discuss plans to replace the U.S. Route 4 bridge over the Hudson River. The bridge connects the towns of Northumberland, Saratoga County and Greenwich, Washington County, with a new structure at the same location designed to enhance safety and mobility for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists. 

The open house will take place 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Champlain Canal Gateway Region Visitor Center, 30 Ferry St., Schuylerville. Attendees will have an opportunity to speak with NYSDOT Engineers and view plans, which include removing and replacing the bridge, and reconfiguring the intersection of Routes 4 and 32.

The bridge will be replaced with a new structure built to modern design standards with an expected lifespan of at least 75 years. Safety enhancements on the bridge include widening travel lanes from nine feet to 11 feet to facilitate the safe flow of traffic and adding five-foot shoulders in each direction to provide safer crossings for pedestrians and bicyclists. The project will also expand emergency access and enhance safety at the intersection by improving sight distance and adding turn lanes on Route 32.

The new structure will be built parallel to the existing bridge, which will remain open to traffic during construction, other than a brief period of transition to the new bridge, which will require a detour utilizing State Routes 32, 197 and 4. The project is expected to begin in 2028 and be completed in 2030.

Additionally, last week DOT announced the start of a $3.8 million project to replace the bridge carrying State Route 22 over White Creek in the Town of White Creek, Washington County. 

The project will enhance safety and improve mobility along an important travel route that provides access to the Adirondack Region and is a vital conduit for the flow of agricultural products from the area. 

State Route 22 is the longest north-south state route in New York, stretching along the eastern border from New York City to Clinton County, near the Canadian border. The project will replace the existing, 98-year-old structure that serves approximately 5,000 vehicles a day.

Saratoga Springs Police Department Chief Tyler McIntosh released the following statement regarding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities in the city April 15:  

We acknowledge the uncertainty and confusion pertaining to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities in the city, so I would like to offer some information in an effort to clarify today’s incident and the policies and practices of the Saratoga Springs Police Department.

On April 15, 2025 at 6:15 a.m., our police department communications center was contacted by ICE to notify us they were in the city conducting surveillance of a particular location. The ICE representative did not request assistance from our department and none was provided. 

At 7:57 a.m., our communications center was again contacted by ICE and notified that agents made an arrest of an individual on Broadway near Gardner Lane and that they were leaving the city. A review of city camera video confirmed that no members of the Saratoga Springs Police Department were present or involved in this arrest. 

The highest priority of the Saratoga Springs Police Department is to uphold the Constitutional rights of all individuals and to treat everyone we encounter with the utmost dignity and respect. Our mission is to serve and protect all residents and visitors of Saratoga Springs, regardless of their immigration status. 

We believe there should be no barriers for anyone who wishes to report a crime or to contact a police officer for any reason. Therefore, the Saratoga Springs Police Department does not require or encourage officers to investigate the immigration status of victims or witnesses. The reporting of a crime or cooperation with an investigation will not automatically lead to an immigration inquiry. 

Immigration enforcement is not a priority of the Saratoga Springs Police Department. SSPD members are not trained to enforce immigration laws under the federal program referred to as 287(g) certification nor do we plan to train our officers through this program. 

However, should a federal law enforcement agency request assistance from the SSPD, we will provide assistance consistent with our policies and procedures, as we would for any other law enforcement organization needing assistance within the city. Probable examples are assisting an agency with traffic control and officer safety concerns.

Again, it is important to emphasize that immigration violations are not a priority of the Saratoga Springs Police Department. As evidenced today, we remain committed to following our policies which are drafted based on the Constitution, legislation, case law, and established best practices. 

I recognize that immigration enforcement is a deeply complex and often sensitive topic that affects individuals, families, and communities in profound ways across the country. Our approach in SSPD is rooted in a commitment to equal enforcement of the law and serving and protecting all individuals in the City of Saratoga Springs with the utmost honor, integrity, and respect.