Manhattan Bridge Contract #10

Rank #17
Cost: $174 million

Work to restore the historic Manhattan Bridge continued with a project to rehabilitate the north spans. Koch Skanska is scheduled to complete the project, the 10th in a series of 12 contracts awarded for the bridge, in July.

Construction of the 5,800-ft. long bridge, which spans the East River between the boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan, was completed in 1909. But years of neglect have caused rapid deterioration to the bridge, forcing the DOT to initiate a massive reconstruction program. The DOT has invested more than $400 million in the bridge, and work on the first contract began in 1982.

Comprised of two upper roadway decks, four New York City Transit tracks and a three-lane lower roadway, the bridge carries more than 78,000 vehicles and 266,000 subway commuters each day. The level of activity makes it the most heavily traveled of all the East River bridges.

Work completed thus far on the bridge includes reconstruction and painting of the south spans, installation of a truss-stiffening system to reduce twisting, restoration of the historic Arch, Colonnade and Manhattan Plaza structures and reconstruction of the south walkway. The opening of the south walkway was notable in that it was the first time in many years that pedestrians and bicyclists had access across the bridge.

During the initial phase of the #10 project, the bridge was closed for 10 months while the approach and suspension portions of the north upper roadway were reconstructed. This provided Manhattan-bound motorists once again with direct access to eastbound Canal Street and Christie Street.

During the rehabilitation of the north spans, a total of 18 millions lbs. of steel will be replaced as part of the north upper roadway and subway framing reconstruction. Concurrent with the upper roadway replacement activities will be the erection of a new bikeway satisfying an increasing demand for bicycle and pedestrian travel over the East River.

The contract also includes the installation of an Intelligent Transportation System that will serve as a direct link between the bridge and New York City's main traffic control center.

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