The state’s Department of Transportation announced that construction has begun on a $14.3 project to rehabilitate the Astoria Boulevard Bridge that spans the eastbound Brooklyn-Queens Expressway ramp that takes traffic to the eastbound Grand Central Parkway.
The construction, due to be completed in spring 2022, will enhance safety and improve driving conditions on a well-traveled roadway that’s home to many stores and businesses and serves as an important access route to LaGuardia Airport.
The project will feature a new roadway deck, new steel beams and upgrade lighting and drainage that will improve travel along the boulevard.
“The project is part of Governor Como’s ongoing commitment to restore aging infrastructure and build it back better than before, creating a more resilient transportation network that promotes growth and improves quality of life,” DOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said. “Once completed, this much-needed project in Queens will improve travel on one of the borough’s most important roadways and help keep people and commerce on the move for decades to come.”
The project will replace the bridge’s existing steel beams with new, rust-resistant beams to reduce the need for painting. It will also feature stainless-steel rebar to prevent corrosion inside the roadway deck and have fewer joints that will reduce water leakage and minimize damage to structural elements.
“The start of this bridge rehabilitation project is a major step forward in the effort to improve safety and driving conditions along Astoria Boulevard,” Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said. “Governor Cuomo and Commissioner Dominguez should be commended for prioritizing this important work. We look forward to enjoying the smoother and safer rides this project will bring.”
Once construction is completed, the project will also give motorists a smoother riding surface.
“The rehabilitation of the Astoria Boulevard Bridge over the eastbound Brooklyn-Queens Expressway is going to go a long way in keeping both drivers passing through and our pedestrians safe along Astoria Boulevard, one of my usual running routes,” state Senator Jessica Ramos said. “I am ecstatic to see the ground break on this important project and look forward to seeing its completion.”
Motorists must use caution when traveling through highway work zones and are reminded that fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone. In accordance with the Work Zone Safety Act of 2005, convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver’s license.
