Built in 1901, the Willis Avenue Bridge over the Harlem River carries more than 70,000 vehicles a day. Age, weather and heavy use of this swing bridge led the New York City Department of Transportation to award a $612 million contract to a Kiewit-led joint venture to replace the existing bridge with a new swing bridge immediately to the south, including ramps and approaches.
Impact to vehicular and marine traffic is expected to be minimal. Traffic will continue to flow on the existing bridge while the new bridge is being constructed. The new swing span will be fabricated and assembled offsite and floated into place when crews have completed construction of the foundations and piers.
The project scope includes excavation, backfill, utilities, electrical work, lagging, painting, masonry and demolition of the existing bridge. The work also includes constructing parapets, caissons, precast footing boxes, a fender system, sheet-pile cofferdams, concrete footing and concrete piers.
The project is scheduled for completion in December 2012.