Overnight 15-Minute Closures Will Occur Every Three Weeks Until Complete
Project Will Replace Original 1960’s Era Roadway Decks and Barriers
MTA Bridges and Tunnels announced today that, weather-permitting, on Wednesday, March 23, Thursday, March 24, and Friday, March 25, from 12:01 a.m. through 4:00 a.m., the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge will have several intermittent 15-minute full closures of both the upper and lower levels in both directions to accommodate work to replace the bridge’s original early 1960s-era bearings.
Traffic will be permitted to resume crossing the bridge following each 15-minute closure, and traffic will be allowed to clear between closures. The closures will be necessary approximately every three weeks until all bearings are replaced over a period of several months. All closures are being coordinated with NYPD and other regional agencies. Motorists should plan additional travel time during these periods or consider an alternate route.
The work is part of the ongoing replacement of the upper-level approaches and anchorage roadway decks and will take place overnight between 12:01 a.m. and 4 a.m. It is a vital state-of-good repair effort and features a full replacement of 1960s-era concrete roadway decks and barriers. The newly installed deck and barrier will be made of more durable concrete and corrosion-resistant reinforcing to achieve a service life of 75 years. The new roadway deck is also designed to reduce the number of joints, creating a smoother ride and reducing long-term maintenance needs. All these improvements increase the decks’ longevity and reliability, which are critically important for this high traffic-volume crossing.
The $145 million Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge Capital Program project entails replacement of the original Brooklyn and Staten Island upper-level anchorage roadway deck and structural steel with a more robust steel support structure and a stronger, more durable reinforced concrete deck. The three-and-a-half-year contract to replace the existing concrete deck and structural steel was awarded to El Sol Contracting in Dec. 2019. In addition to the new roadway deck and structural steel replacement on the Staten Island and Brooklyn approaches and anchorage spans, new parapets, bearings, drainage, fire standpipe, and LED roadway lighting will be installed. Steel and concrete repairs will also be made. Previous stages of the project were completed earlier than planned under an accelerated schedule that took advantage of low traffic volume during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The upper level of the bridge opened to traffic on Nov. 21, 1964, while the lower level opened on June 28, 1969. A daily average of 220,000 vehicles crossed the bridge in 2019.
Motorists can sign up for MTA email or text alerts at new.mta.info.