Yonkers Contracting Begins Major Projects To Replace Bronx Bridges, Valued at $517M
ALBANY—New York State officials announced late last month the start of a $517.5-million project to replace two bridges along the Bronx River Parkway between East Tremont Avenue and Bronx Park in the Bronx.
The project, which contains more than $200 million in funding provided by the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, will also create smoother traffic flow by providing a dedicated southbound exit ramp from the parkway to East 177th St. Additionally, a new shared-use path will be constructed that includes a connection to the scenic Bronx River Greenway for pedestrians and cyclists.
Yonkers Contracting Co., Inc., is the contractor on the project.
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “These new bridges, exit ramp and shared-use path along the Bronx River Parkway will improve and enhance travel for all users—especially bike and pedestrian users—along one of the Metropolitan Region’s busiest highways.”
The project will replace the bridge that carries Bronx River Parkway over East Tremont Avenue and bridge over East 180th St., Morris Park Avenue and an adjacent New York City Transit yard, both of which were built in 1951 and are nearing the end of their service lives. They will be replaced with modern structures featuring redundant steel girders, stainless-steel reinforced concrete decks, concrete piers, fewer bridge joints and other features intended to reduce their long-term maintenance costs and harden their resistance to the impacts of climate change and severe weather, state officials said.
New stormwater drainage facilities will be added and curbs, ramps and sidewalks within the project limits will be updated to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Additionally, the roadway along Morris Park Avenue from East 180th St. to Melville Street will be resurfaced. Pavement resurfacing will also take place on sections of the Bronx River Parkway directly adjacent to and between the bridges being replaced.
Large concrete surfaces within the project limits will feature architectural design elements to match those already present in the surrounding area and the new exit ramp will be constructed from the southbound Bronx River Parkway to East 177th St., crossing Morris Park Avenue, East 180th Street and East Tremont Avenue.
The new, 12-foot-wide, shared-use path will be constructed to the east of the parkway’s northbound lanes and will help tie together residential neighborhoods in the area. It will begin near the intersection of Bronx River and Noble Avenues and connect to the existing Bronx River Greenway in Bronx Park, near the New York Police Department Highway Patrol Building.
Construction of the new bridges will be conducted in stages and all travel lanes on the Bronx River Parkway will be maintained throughout the project. Except for several key overnight periods, access to existing ramps and city streets will also be maintained throughout construction. Interruptions to nearby rail traffic during demolition and construction will also be minimized thanks to extensive coordination between the State Department of Transportation and New York City Transit. The project is slated for completion in the spring of 2028.