A new bridge will include commuter rail. The MTA is on the brink of financial insolvency and cannot afford to take on any major new projects. Their own 1994 study shows ridership for I-287 rail would be too low to qualify for federal funding. This is what happened on the GW bridge. A new bridge will solve traffic congestion.
Studies show that wider roads attract new traffic and development.
Added lanes would fill in 2-3 years. The I-287 task force report admits that a widened bridge will have no significant ability to meet demand only ten years after construction. A replacement bridge will only impact the river villages. Plans to expand the bridge include a major widening of Thruway down the entire I-287 corridor. The resulting disruption will include land takings and years of construction delays.