Spring Valley, NY – Transport of Rockland’s TOR Route 59 bus has resumed service over the Route 59 bridge at South Pascack Road in Spring Valley, ending a detour that had affected the county bus route since 2020. The return follows the completion of a New York State Department of Transportation bridge reconstruction project and the removal of a weight restriction that had prevented TOR buses from crossing the structure.
TOR Route 59 officially resumed traveling over the bridge on Wednesday, September 2. With the restriction lifted, buses are once again operating along Route 59 between the Exit 14 Park & Ride and South Central Avenue, restoring the route used before the weight limitation was imposed.
The New York State Department of Transportation placed the weight restriction on the Route 59 bridge in 2020. Although other vehicles could continue to use the structure under the applicable restrictions, TOR buses were too heavy to cross it, requiring the county to establish a long-term detour for Route 59. That detour remained in effect until the bridge reconstruction was completed.
The bridge project became particularly noticeable to area residents this summer. Route 59 between New Clarkstown Road and South Central Avenue was closed during a major phase of construction that began in June. South Pascack Road beneath the bridge was also affected. The state established detour routes and made traffic-signal adjustments in an effort to manage traffic around the construction zone.
Route 59 reopened to vehicle traffic on August 25, followed several days later by the reopening of South Pascack Road beneath the bridge. The completion of the work also allowed the state to remove the weight restriction that had kept TOR buses off the bridge for approximately six years.
For Rockland County bus riders, the change means Route 59 buses no longer need to follow the extended detour around the bridge. The restored routing provides a more direct connection through the Spring Valley area and eliminates a service modification that had remained in place long before this summer’s more extensive bridge closure.
TOR is Rockland County’s local fixed-route bus system and operates 10 routes serving major travel corridors and local feeder loops throughout the county. All TOR buses are wheelchair accessible. Route 59 is one of the system’s primary east-west routes, providing service along the Route 59 corridor and connecting communities including Suffern, Spring Valley, Nanuet and Nyack.
The bridge reopening comes as Rockland County continues to manage transportation along Route 59, one of the county’s busiest commercial and commuter corridors. The reconstruction temporarily affected motorists, pedestrians and public transportation users in and around Spring Valley, particularly during the full summer closure.
With the reconstruction complete and the bridge’s weight restriction removed, TOR Route 59 has returned to its previous path across South Pascack Road. Riders can check current schedules, stops and service alerts through the Rockland County Department of Public Transportation.