NEWS |
171-97: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE , December 18, 1997
A $38.4 million overhaul of the decades-old ramps connecting the George Washington Bridge to Riverside Drive, the Henry Hudson Parkway and local Manhattan streets was authorized today by the Port Authority Board of Commissioners, according to Chairman Lewis M. Eisenberg.
“These ramps connect the busiest bridge in the world to some of the busiest roadways in Manhattan,” Chairman Eisenberg said. “Several of the ramps have been in service for more than 50 years. It is time to invest in smooth new surfaces, improved lighting and safety features that will last for decades to come.” He added that the Board had directed staff of the bistate agency to explore ways to increase the capacity of the ramps in order to improve traffic flow in both New York and New Jersey.
Some of the ramps date back to the original construction of the bridge in the 1920s, and others were built when the span’s second level was added in 1962.
“The result of this project will be almost five miles of ramps that are in better shape than when they were new,” the Chairman added.
Lane closings required by the construction work will take place in non-peak periods, including nighttime and weekends, to minimize inconvenience to the 100,000 daily users of the George Washington Bridge and its ramps. Motorists and area residents will be informed about significant lane closures and traffic diversions.
Construction will begin in early 1999, and the project is expected to be completed in 2001. It includes:
· rehabilitation of girders, columns, and bridge decks, roadway surfaces, drainage and associated piping systems; · rehabilitation or installation of new traffic control and safety devices, such as guard rails, barriers and curbs; · replacement of 13,000 feet of crash walls and 5,000 feet of roadway expansion joints; and · replacement of 124 light poles with 8 light towers. The world’s only 14-lane suspension span, the two-level George Washington Bridge crosses the Hudson River between upper Manhattan (West 178th Street) and Fort Lee, N.J., and forms part of interstate highway I-95.
The original six-lane bridge opened to traffic on October 25, 1931. In 1946, two additional lanes were provided on the upper level. The six-lane lower level opened on August 29, 1962. Through June 1997, total Port Authority capital investment in the span was more than $556 million.
In 1981, the George Washington Bridge was designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
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