New York State Department of Transportation is building bridges, announcing the official start of rehabilitation to the Alexander Hamilton Bridge.
On Wednesday, July 15, NYSDOT Commissioner Stanley Gee announced the start of a $ 407 million project for the 1,485-foot bridge.
“This is an important milestone as we celebrate the rehabilitation of the Alexander Hamilton Bridge,” said Gee. “This carried over 200,000 people each day and serves as a vital link. This is just one of the many project you will see this summer to help put shovels in the ground and our economy back to work.”
The pavement deck, along with the steel arch span, will be completely removed and replaced during this extensive project. The revamped bridge will add shoulders in each direction and refresh the look with new paint, repairs, and new signage and lighting.
Additionally, the project will replace the eastbound Trans-Manhattan Expressway to 181st Street Bridge ramp, including removal of structural columns from the I-95 median.
The Undercliff Avenue Bridge will be replaced, and ramps between the Cross Bronx and Major Deegan expressways will be improved.
Approximately $ 20 million of the project, which is the largest single contract in the department’s history, will be used to add a skate park at the base of the bridge, improve Quisqueya and City Parks Foundation playgrounds, and for enhancements to Highbridge Park.
“This has been along time in the making. Before I was Deputy Borough President I represented this bridge in the Assembly, and over the years I have seen repairs but nothing close to the magnitude this will be,” said Aurelia Green, Deputy Borough President. “I am se excited about it because it is well worth the effort and worth the time. We will finally have a bridge we can count on that will last over the years.”
In total the project will replace 45,000 rivets, add two miles of safety barriers, install 25 miles of cable lighting, and use over 8 million pounds of steel and 70 million pounds of concrete.
Full consideration to travelers will be taken into account during the construction, keeping lanes open as much as possible, closing only for brief periods when absolutely necessary. Construction is expected to be completed in December 2013.
