The MTA Construction & Development department announced on Sept. 10 that it is another step closer to completing the roadway construction phase of the $253 million Throggs Neck Bridge roadway deck replacement. In this phase, the project team will replace the original concrete roadway, which dates to when the bridge was built in the late 1950s, with a new lighter-weight, stronger, steel deck.

 

 

Staged roadway work began on Friday, Sept. 11 with a new traffic pattern in place on Sept. 14 using a movable barrier to ensure full traffic lane capacity for customers during the morning and afternoon rush hours.

 

 

To facilitate the roadway reconstruction, a work access safety platform was installed beneath the roadway and temporary overhead gantry cranes have been erected. This will allow for the work to be expedited and proceed efficiently while mitigating impacts to traffic.

 

 

“We are using innovation and strong project management to advance projects faster, smarter and cheaper,” said Janno Lieber, President of MTA Construction & Development. “The prep work that began last year has really set the stage for the upcoming deck and roadway reconstruction which will improve the seismic and wind performance of the bridge.”

 

 

“Replacing the original deck of this nearly 60-year-old bridge ensures many future decades of service for this heavily used crossing,” said Daniel F. DeCrescenzo Jr., President of MTA Bridges and Tunnels. “And by employing a movable barrier, we will maintain the maximum amount of traffic lanes during peak travel periods.”

 

 

The staged work includes saw-cutting and removing the old concrete-filled grid roadway deck and installing pre-fabricated steel panels using three overhead gantry cranes that can traverse all six lanes of the bridge. Once installed, the new deck panels will be welded and bolted together creating a continuous roadway surface without joints, and a corrosion resistant waterproofing membrane and new smooth riding overlay will be applied. Other upgrades will include painting, new fire standpipe, structural reinforcement, LED roadway lighting, new sign structures, and a new median and side barriers.

 

 

Deck replacement with staged construction utilizing a movable barrier operation will continue for a total of 15 months, not inclusive of any winter hiatus during which all lanes will be restored to service. This will allow contractors to demolish and replace the existing roadway in six stages of work while maintaining peak traffic flow and minimizing traffic impacts to customers.

 

 

During the work, all current lanes of traffic will be maintained during peak direction weekday morning and afternoon periods using a movable barrier that can be shifted to allow for three Bronx-bound lanes in the morning (6 a.m. to 9 a.m.) and three Queens-bound lanes in the afternoon (2 p.m. to 10 p.m). Additional lane closures may be required to facilitate construction during off-peak and overnight periods.

 

 

This movable-barrier method of staged deck replacement has been successfully used on projects at the Verrazzano-Narrows, Bronx-Whitestone, and Robert F. Kennedy Bridges, enabling motorists to use the same number of lanes during peak travel periods as normally available. View Video of Movable Barrier Machine

 

All work is being closely coordinated with the neighboring Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, which is available as an alternate option for Throgs Neck Bridge customers.

 

 

The four-year contract for the project was awarded to Judlau Contracting in November 2018.

 

 

The Throgs Neck Bridge, which opened to traffic on January 11, 1961, spans the East River from the Bronx and points south to Queens and Long Island. Average weekday traffic at this important regional link was approximately 120,000 vehicle crossings in 2019.

 

 

Motorists can sign up for MTA email or text alerts at www.myMTAalerts.com and check the mta.info homepage for the latest information on this work.