Detour in Place for 10 Staten Island Express Bus Routes
Minimal Traffic Impacts Anticipated
Current Stage Expected to be Completed Four Months Ahead of Schedule
Beginning the weekend of June 4, weather permitting, contractors from MTA Bridges and Tunnels will begin the fourth stage of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge Upper Level reconstruction of the Approaches and Anchorage Decks. This phase of the project is progressing well ahead of schedule and with minimal impact to traffic. To facilitate the next stage of roadway replacement, access to the HOV lane for Brooklyn-bound express buses and HOV vehicles using the Narrows Road South entrance ramp and Lily Pond Avenue Entrance ramp will be relocated downstream for 10 MTA express bus routes for the morning rush hours. Buses and HOV vehicles that travel on the Staten Island Expressway will continue to access the HOV lane on the Bridge.
Minimal travel time impact is anticipated to Brooklyn-bound express buses and HOV vehicles due in part to the additional general purpose lane recently added to the eastbound Gowanus Expressway from the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge to Fort Hamilton Parkway.
The affected buses and HOV vehicles will use the three general purpose lanes to cross the bridge and rejoin the HOV lane on the Gowanus Expressway at 70th Street in Brooklyn. The upcoming construction stage is expected to be completed by the end of July and will affect the following express bus routes:
- SIM1, SIM1c, SIM5, SIM6, SIM7, SIM9, SIM10, SIM11, SIM15 and SIM35
When stages five and six begin this summer, a temporary ramp will be open during morning rush hours on the Narrows Road entrance ramp to allow affected Staten Island Express Buses to access the HOV lanes. A detour will still be in place for three buses, SIM6, SIM7 and SIM9, which will need to follow a brief detour via the Fingerboard Road overpass to access this ramp. This is expected to last through November 2021.
Motorists can sign up for MTA e-mail or text alerts at www.mymtaalerts.com for the latest information on this planned work.