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Yankee Stadium Area Roadwork Moves Along
NYCDOT hopes to have traffic moving by start of MLB season. Also, Highlands Bridge replacement project underway.
Grand Concourse Work Ahead of Schedule
Work continues on the New York City Department of Transportation’s Grand Concourse project, with hopes of breaking the often-tight traffic bottleneck near Yankee Stadium.
The project includes the reconstruction of the East 161st Street underpass, road work on East 161st Street from Sheridan Avenue to Gerard Avenue and the from East 161st Street to East 166th Street, as well as creating green space in Lou Gehrig Plaza—which previously functioned as nothing more than a metered parking area.
The $1.8 million project has three major milestones which were scheduled around Yankee season since traffic is very heavy during games. The first involved reconstruction of the 161st Street underpass and was completed in March 2007. The second milestone, completed in March 2008, focused on the reconstruction, completion and reopening of 161st Street. The last milestone began in April 2008 and will complete all remaining project objectives, said Henry Perahia, chief bridge office at NYCDOT.
The reconstruction is part of a neighborhood-wide revitalization project, in which the NYCDOT will add new roadways, sidewalks, street lighting, bicycle lanes, pedestrian amenities, new trees and planters, reconstruct Yankee Stadium, work on a new courthouse and Bronx Terminal Market, according to NYCDOT.
The project was initially slated for completion in September 2009, but the team is 316 days ahead of schedule and planning on a November 2008 completion. In exchange for reimbursing the contractor Skanska USA for general costs, NYCDOT negotiated a new contract that was 316 days ahead of schedule. “It was a win-win deal for everyone: the city, the contractor and people who live in the area,” said Perahia.
“In January, 2006 we began a project to put the ‘grand’ back into the Grand Concourse,” said DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. “We’re very pleased to have the chance to complete the project 11 months early, and to give the community both relief from construction and a Grand Concourse worthy of its name.”
Bridge Set for Replacement
The New Jersey Department of Transportation is in the beginning stages of a $124.5 million project to replace the Route 36 Highlands Bridge, which connects Sea Bright and Atlantic Highlands over the Shrewsbury River in Monmouth County.
The project calls for a new fixed-span bridge over the Shrewsbury River, adjacent to the existing bridge. It will build the new structure in shifts, north half and south half, as to simply shift traffic during construction and not close Route 36 to motorists.
The new bridge will include two, new 12-ft lanes of traffic operating in each direction and will have a 65-ft vertical clearance over the Shrewsbury River channel.
Two eight-ft-wide pedestrian sidewalks as well as two bicycle lanes are also included in the design. Additionally, NJDOT will build two pedestrian bridges, running over Route 36 in Sea Bright. The project is expected to conclude in December 2010.
The existing bridge—built in 1932—has reached the end of its service life, said NJDOT.
“The replacement of the Highlands Bridge demonstrates NJDOT’s commitment to maintaining public safety and improving our aging bridge infrastructure,” said Commissioner Kolluri. “The Highlands Bridge, which is structurally deficient and is considered the worst moveable bridge in the state, is in dire need of replacement. The new bridge will improve safety and roadway efficiency and reduce congestion and delays.”
NJDOT expects the replacement bridge to be structurally sound for a century.
Erie County Road Reconstruction Underway
Work continues on the pavement reconstruction and improvements to Harlem Road, which runs through the towns of Cheektowaga and Amherst in Erie County, New York.
The project will widen the road at Maryvale Drive and under the Route 33 overpass to improve traffic flow as well as install roundabouts at Cleveland Drive and two more at the intersection of Kensington Avenue and Wehrle. The total length of the project is 1.8 mi.
A new waterline and storm sewers from north of Genesee Street to north of Kensington Avenue will be installed and the sanitary sewer systems in Amherst will be upgraded. New traffic systems will also be erected.
General contractor DiPizio Construction Co., Inc won the project bid in November 2006 and construction began in March 2007.
To date, the team has completed waterline and storm sewer installation. New curbs and pavement have been constructed—eastbound and westbound—on Harlem Road from Genesee Street to Seton Road. Traffic signals have been installed at Maryvale Drive. The road has been widened at Maryvale Drive and under the Route 33 overpass.
Included in the 2008 construction plans, DiPizio Construction will continue with drainage work, upgrade the sanitary sewer system, install sidewalk and curbs on Harlem Road, perform signal upgrades at Corey Court and Mafalda as well as install decorative lighting.
The $20.4 million project is slated for completion in December 2008.
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