MTA Bridges and Tunnels Construction Improvements
- Henry Hudson Bridge
- Bronx-Whitestone Bridge
- Throgs Neck Bridge
- Verrazano-Narrows Bridge
- Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
Henry Hudson Bridge
A three-year, $33 million project is underway to replace the original 1930s steel curb stringers that support the upper level roadway on either side of the bridge. In addition to replacing the stringers and installing 3,600-feet of new bridge decking, new energy-efficient roadway lighting will also be added. The new light poles will replicate the original 1938-style light poles in keeping with the bridge’s Depression-era design. Motorists will also benefit from the removal of an unused, maintenance sidewalk, which is closed to the public. The new space will be re-striped, resulting in wider traffic lanes of 11-feet-6-inches across the bridge. Bridge lanes are currently about 10-feet wide. The lower level pedestrian walkway will remain open while this work is done. In the first half of the project the far left (west) lane from just after the toll plaza across the full-length of the bridge will remain closed through summer 2012; two lanes will remain open during peak, weekday travel times. The Henry Hudson Bridge, connecting the northern tip of Manhattan to the Riverdale section of the Bronx, turned 75 on December 12, 2011. Today an average 63,000 cars use the bridge daily.
 Northbound upper level roadway, view toward Bronx, Henry Hudson Bridge |
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| Workers replacing the bridge’s original curb stringer boxes, commonly used in the 1930s when the bridge was built, with new sub-structure steel beams, shown here being hoisted. All together there will be 30 of these steel girders installed. Each steel beam weighs 3,000 lbs. | |
 Protective shield installation for upper level work. |
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 Old stringer curb box that is being removed |
 Example of corroded stringer box that is being removed. This is what happens when water seeps into the empty stringer box. |
 New steel grid put in place after old stringer box was removed. |
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Henry Hudson Bridge Stringer Replacement
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Bronx-Whitestone Bridge
Construction started in early 2009 to replace and widen the roadway and supporting structure of the Bronx approach. Major elements of this four-year, $192.8 million project include new piers—expanded from two to three—with foundations; removal of the median barrier; demolition of the existing roadway and construction of the new roadway superstructure; and demolition of the existing piers and final site improvements such as landscaping, drainage, etc.
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| Original two-pier structure | Three new piers take shape under roadway |
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| Construction in progress | Pier close up |
Throgs Neck Bridge
The Queens approach of the 51-year-old bridge is being replaced under this $96.7 million contract. Main features of project include replacement of the entire concrete roadway deck, which was nearing the end of its useful life, at the Queens side of the span; rehabilitation of abutment and concrete retaining walls; and painting of structural steel including the Cross Island Parkway on- and off-ramps. More than 140,000 square feet of the roadway deck on 11 spans of the bridge in Queens are being replaced. Active construction will continue through mid-2010, with full project completion in 2011.
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Northbound roadway in Queens under construction |
Paint removal containment operation. |
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| New roadway taking shape |
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge
Toll Booth Removal Project
On the night of Feb. 1-2, 2012, the last remaining long-decommissioned eastbound toll booths at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge were torn down. The work is part of a $50 million Capital project to improve traffic flow through the toll plaza.
Other highlights of the project, which is expected to be completed by 2015 include:
- A new fly-over ramp from Narrows Road South (service road) will be built to help ease both car and bus traffic onto the Brooklyn-bound upper level of the bridge.
- Rehabilitation of the toll plaza roadway from the Staten Island Expressway to accommodate traffic that will be traveling through the area at highway speeds rather than toll booth stop and go conditions.
- Construction of a new lower level connector ramp that will take motorists directly from the Staten Island Expressway to the bridge’s lower level.
- A new fly-over ramp at the Lily Pond entrance ramp to the bridge will be constructed to improve roadway logistics and allow smoother access for buses and cars onto the bridge’s upper level.
- Rehabilitation of the Father Capodanno entrance ramp and the Lily Pond exit ramp.
Photos by Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Patrick Cashin.
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Paint Removal Project
Containment system wrapping the lower tower legs of the bridge is part of a two-year, nearly $19 million Capital construction project to remove old lead paint, repair and rehabilitate steel and repaint the interior and exterior of the tower legs on both the Staten Island and Brooklyn sides of the bridge. The shroud-like covering is put in place to make sure the old paint does not escape into the environment. It is then collected and disposed of in strict accordance with New York State regulations.
Bridges need to be painted in order to keep them in a state of good repair and to provide protective coating against corrosion. The Verrazano-Narrows is particularly susceptible to corrosion because of the wind patterns where it sits in New York Bay and its exposure to harsh sea and salt air. An estimated 11,500 gallons of high-performance paint, specially designed for bridges, will be used for this project.
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VN legs paint 4: Cable and pulley system is constructed on the Staten Island tower legs in preparation for the tarps that will completely enclose the steel structure before abrasive blasting of old paint begins. |
VN Tower Legs 2: Side view of Staten Island tower leg completely wrapped in the containment system. Work began in late 2010 with actual removal of paint beginning in July 2011. |
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VN SI Tower Legs: View of the Staten Island tower legs under containment system taken from the Brooklyn side of the bridge. Once completed, work will move to the Brooklyn side of the bridge. |
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RFK Bridge Planned Rehabilitation Projects
- What’s Happening
- Big Picture Projects
- Immediate Planned Work
- Work in Progress
- About RFK (formerly Triborough) Bridge
What’s Happening
Robert F. Kennedy Bridge Planned Rehabilitation Projects
MTA Spending Nearly $1 Billion In Capital Improvement Projects Over Next 15 Years
Effective July 2011 through 2019
Project Overview
MTA Bridges and Tunnels is making needed repairs and improvements to the agency’s 1930s-era flagship bridge. The work includes:
- Reconstructing supporting bridge structures at Manhattan and Bronx toll plazas
- Rehabilitating and replacing the bridge’s seven ramps
RFK Capital1: Worker operates a large remote controlled jack hammer while removing existing roadway deck on the RFK Queens-to-Manhattan ramp. Second worker sprays water to control dust. |
The largest portion of the estimated $1 billion in improvements includes $700 million for reconstruction of the structures that support the bridge’s two toll plazas. Timeline:
- Design for Bronx plaza rehabilitation scheduled to begin late 2011. Construction will begin in mid-2014.
- Design for reconstruction of Manhattan plaza to begin in 2015. Construction will begin in 2019.
RFK Capital2: Long stretch of roadway on the RFK Queens-to-Manhattan ramp where old decking was removed. Steel reinforcing rods need to be cleaned, form work installed from below and new concrete poured. |
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If you use the RFK Bridge, you’ve already noticed work is underway and there is a lot of construction activity taking place. Here‘s a look at some of the projects:
- Removal and replacement of 400,000-square-feet of old asphalt on the Manhattan toll plaza with a new, rubberized asphalt to help prevent water from seeping into the concrete deck. This $5.8 million project will provide a smoother riding surface for customers and extend the life of the plaza roadway until full reconstruction begins in 2019. Work is expected to be completed by fall.
- Replacement of bonded wearing surfaces on the East River suspension span, the Harlem River Lift span and the Bronx truss span. This $13 million project is being done at night during off-peak hours and will be completed in the fall.
- Complete replacement of the 12,000-square-foot Harlem River Drive southbound exit ramp, which leads onto the bridge at East 125th Street. The old ramp will be closed right after Labor Day and a temporary ramp will be built to accommodate traffic. Motorists will be detoured through local streets. The $12 million project is expected to be completed by the end of 2011.
- Replacement of 40,000-square-feet of roadway decking on the Queens-to-Manhattan ramp. Two lanes of traffic are being maintained during peak driving times. The $5 million project will be completed by the end of 2011.
- Repair and replacing 39,000-square-feet of protective asphalt overlay on the Queens-to-Bronx Randall’s Island ramp and Randall’s Island-to-Queens ramp. Work on this $900,000 project will begin late summer 2011 and be completed by the fall.
Check back for updates and photos of capital projects underway at the RFK.
RFK Capital3: New concrete decking in place on RFK Queens-to-Manhattan ramp. |
Work in Progress
The demolition and reconstruction of the Harlem River Drive southbound ramp leading onto the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge is a $12.4 million project that is expected to be completed by the end of the year. A temporary ramp, with a quick detour through local streets, is in place, continuing to give motorists access to the RFK Bridge ramp at 125th Street.
The contractor for the design/build project is Defoe of Mount Vernon, N.Y. The project is part of the nearly $1 billion in capital improvements planned over the next 15 years for the sprawling 75-year-old Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, which connects Manhattan, the Bronx and Queens and serves a combined average of 170,000 vehicles daily.
About RFK (formerly Triborough) Bridge
- The sprawling 75-year-old RFK Bridge includes three bridges, and 14 miles of roadways that merge at a junction structure on Randall’s Island where traffic is distributed to and from Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx.
- Each bridge is a different design and includes, the suspended span over the East River connecting Manhattan and Queens; the fixed truss span in the Bronx over the Bronx Kills and the Harlem River Lift Span in Manhattan which raises up like an elevator to allow marine traffic to pass beneath.
- The Triborough Bridge, renamed the bridge in honor of the late U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy in 2008, was used by an estimated 60 million cars and trucks in 2010.
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