$57M to renovate Cross Bay Bridge

The New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and State Senator Malcolm A. Smith have announced a $57 million renovation project for the Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge. Work on the three-year makeover will begin sometime before July 20.
El Sol Contracting, based in Maspeth, will repave the asphalt roadway, install new concrete barriers, and replace ramps to the Rockaway Peninsula. Railings will also be put in along the sidewalk of the bridge, which spans Jamaica Bay between the Rockaway Peninsula and Broad Channel.
“Like any infrastructure, especially in a salt-water environment, a lot of work is required to keep the bridge stable,” said Catherine Sweeney, a spokesperson for MTA Bridges and Tunnels. “The bridge is 37 years old, and it’s suffered a lot of wear and tear.”
Sweeney said the 7.3 million commuters who cross the bridge on an annual basis should expect minor delays, but added, “We don’t expect it to cause any major tie-ups.”
The project will require that one lane in each direction be closed, but ramps will stay open between Labor Day and Memorial Day.
Smith said the project, funded by toll money, is necessary to “ensure that motorists can cross [the bridge] in safety and comfort.”
Community Board 14 (CB14) has also offered its assistance to the venture by taking measures to help minimize inconvenience.
“Our concerns are the beach seasons for people who are not familiar with the area,” said CB14 District Manager Jonathan Gaska in a published report. The City Department of Transportation, said Gaska, will provide agents to help direct traffic during rush hour.
Although the Cross Bay Bridge was originally built in 1939, the version of the bridge being renovated has only been in place since 1970. Before that, it was a low-level drawbridge. When the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (now MTA Bridges and Tunnels) built the current version, they elevated it to allow boats to pass beneath it without affecting traffic.
“We keep all our facilities in good repair, and we work on each one on a cyclical basis,” said Sweeney. “It was the Cross Bay’s turn.”