Verrazano-Narrows Bridge Project Awarded (with HOV lane)

[GojiMet86 4,697]

http://mta.info/news...ries/?story=892

 

Verrazano-Narrows Project Awarded

 

Westchester-based Tutor Perini has been awarded a five-year, $235.7 million contract to replace the original 1960s upper level roadway of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, including construction of MTA Bridges and Tunnels' first reversible high occupancy vehicle lane.

The new reversible lane will connect with State Department of Transportation's HOV lanes on either side of the bridge, providing a continuous HOV lane from the Staten Island Expressway to the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel, saving commuting time for thousands of daily bus and HOV car commuters. NYCT Staten Island Express buses carry an average 30,000 riders to and from Manhattan each weekday.

The upper level of the bridge will remain open while the new roadway is installed, and using a movable barrier all three current lanes of traffic will be maintained during peak morning and afternoon drive times.

The current roadway deck will be replaced with a lighter, steel orthotropic deck which will have a significantly improved life span than the original concrete deck.

In order to verify the performance of the new deck's design, a full scale prototype underwent several years of rigorous testing and successfully endured more than 5 million cycles of simulated truck traffic loading at Lehigh University's Advanced Technology for Large Structural Systems (ATLSS) engineering research center.

"The advantages of an orthotropic deck versus a traditional concrete deck are that orthotropic decks are a more durable, lighter and stiffer deck system, improving seismic and wind performance of the bridge," explained Verrazano-Narrows Facility Engineer David Riggs. "An added benefit is that the deck system is a continuous structure without expansion joints, which tend to leak and accelerate deterioration of the supporting steel below," Riggs said.

Tutor Perini, which has local offices in New Rochelle, will help create the reversible HOV lane by reconfiguring the median, side barriers and curbs on both sides of the bridge. The project will also include a new drainage system, new steel sign structures, new LED lighting on both levels of the bridge, rehabilitation of the finger joints and painting of the support structures.

Preparatory work will begin in 2013 and roadway construction in 2014. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2017.

A separate contract will be awarded in 2013 to construct a new ramp on the Brooklyn side of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge that will connect the bridge HOV lane to the New York State Department of Transportation's Gowanus Expressway HOV lane.

 

 

 

[Shortline Bus 1,121]

Guys please keep it only to buses for now. If talking from non-bus takes, feel free to create new thread in the roads and highways thread. Thanks

[Via Garibaldi 8 8,592]

Long overdue... Vito Fossella had been trying to achieve this back when we got the HOV lanes on the Gowanus. Back then I was in communication with him about improving the commutes for us express bus riders on Staten Island and it's great to finally see this come through several years later.

[Shortline Bus 1,121]

Long overdue... Vito Fossella had been trying to achieve this back when we got the HOV lanes on the Gowanus. Back then I was in communication with him about improving the commutes for us express bus riders on Staten Island and it's great to finally see this come through several years later.

 

 

Agreed. Not to go off topic but related. Next would be for the Gowanus section of the BQE to be rehabbed (not the current patchwork that been going on for almost 30 years now)or totally rebulid. Hate to say but IMO the Gowanus is the most dire need of work right now.

[Via Garibaldi 8 8,592]

Agreed. Not to go off topic but related. Next would be for the Gowanus section of the BQE to be rehabbed (not the current patchwork that been going on for almost 30 years now)or totally rebulid. Hate to say but IMO the Gowanus is the most dire need of work right now.

 

The problem is that there is no money for it, which doesn't make any sense to me because I thought Obama's stimulus plan was suppose to address infastructure projects like this one... Anywho, there are several issues with the Gowanus, one being that the overhead structure was poorly built and quite frankly is becoming outdated as each day goes by. In an ideal world it would torn down and put underground, but that would simply cost too much at the moment, so the only option is what we got now... The constant patchwork, which quite frankly will never end with the amount of cars that use it daily.

[Shortline Bus 1,121]

The problem is that there is no money for it, which doesn't make any sense to me because I thought Obama's stimulus plan was suppose to address infastructure projects like this one... Anywho, there are several issues with the Gowanus, one being that the overhead structure was poorly built and quite frankly is becoming outdated as each day goes by. In an ideal world it would torn down and put underground, but that would simply cost too much at the moment, so the only option is what we got now... The constant patchwork, which quite frankly will never end with the amount of cars that use it daily.

 

 

About 12 years ago circa 2000, former NYC Councilman Ken Fisher proposed a tunnel for the Gowanus in the Industry City area. Of course the local Sunset Park NIMBY's shut it down fearful of the never ending "Big Dig" project in Boston. However IMO it should been looked at seriously as a new local park/street i.e rebuliding 3rd Avenue into a mini version of the West Side Highway was proposed as the replacement for the super highway that the BQE/Gowanus currently is.

Edited December 5, 2012 by Shortline Bus

[Via Garibaldi 8 8,592]

About 12 years ago circa 2000, former NYC Councilman Ken Fisher proposed a tunnel for the Gowanus in the Industry City area. Of course the local Sunset Park NIMBY's shut it down fearful of the never ending "Big Dig" project in Boston. However IMO it should been looked at seriously as a new local park/street i.e rebuliding 3rd Avenue into a mini version of the West Side Highway was proposed as the replacement for the super highway that the BQE/Gowanus currently is.

 

That's correct... That and the money involved.... I heard somewhere that the cost would be in the billions easily and the thinking is that there simply isn't money for it, so the patchwork continues.

[Grand Concourse 2,690]

Wasn't there an idea some years back about building it along the outer edge of Brooklyn and having a series of Cable stay bridges? But either way, it would be ideal to just demolish the current overpass and clear away that eyesore.

[qjtransitmaster 216]

That's correct... That and the money involved.... I heard somewhere that the cost would be in the billions easily and the thinking is that there simply isn't money for it, so the patchwork continues.

 

Isn't that long patchwork MORE costly in the long run?

[Via Garibaldi 8 8,592]

Isn't that long patchwork MORE costly in the long run?

 

You can say that but the cost upfront is cheaper....

[qjtransitmaster 216]

I don't think the patchwork is worth it.

[checkmatechamp13 2,272]

I don't think the patchwork is worth it.

 

 

Neither do a lot of us, but we're not the ones in charge, so it doesn't matter.

 

In any case, does this mean that the upper level will become 7 lanes wide instead of 6? Or will they take an existing lane (Either eastbound or westbound) and convert it to a bidirectional lane?

 

In any case, I don't think the S53/79/93, and all the express buses that get off at the first couple of exits will be able to benefit from it, since it's on the upper level (unless they tell the B/Os to cut across all those lanes before the toll plaza)

 

On a side note, I find it stupid that the SIE bus lane is HOV during rush hours, when you have a ton of buses using it, but off-peak, when you have a bus every 30 minutes in there, it's not an HOV lane.

[Shortline Bus 1,121]

Neither do a lot of us, but we're not the ones in charge, so it doesn't matter.

 

In any case, does this mean that the upper level will become 7 lanes wide instead of 6? Or will they take an existing lane (Either eastbound or westbound) and convert it to a bidirectional lane?

 

In any case, I don't think the S53/79/93, and all the express buses that get off at the first couple of exits will be able to benefit from it, since it's on the upper level (unless they tell the B/Os to cut across all those lanes before the toll plaza)

 

On a side note, I find it stupid that the SIE bus lane is HOV during rush hours, when you have a ton of buses using it, but off-peak, when you have a bus every 30 minutes in there, it's not an HOV lane.

 

 

I know in Southern Calif. some of the HOV lanes down there are all day weekdays i.e 6am-8pm. Only weekends and holidays can anyone use such as 1-driver or a bus. I do agree the SIE HOV should be expanded to run all day weekdays at least until 8pm.

[aemoreira81 965]

Way overdue if you ask me...the fractured HOV lanes don't cut it.

[Turbo19 2,509]

I know in Southern Calif. some of the HOV lanes down there are all day weekdays i.e 6am-8pm. Only weekends and holidays can anyone use such as 1-driver or a bus. I do agree the SIE HOV should be expanded to run all day weekdays at least until 8pm.

 

The majority is 24 hours, with the limit at rush hour at least in L.A. County being three passengers, while elsewhere in the state the limit remains two.

[Grand Concourse 2,690]

You can say that but the cost upfront is cheaper....

 

Yup, people don't like the idea of a huge sunk cost upfront, but it's needed and better for the long term. It's like the MC pay per ride: people would rather buy the $4.50 card than the $20 [with a bonus] because it's too much money to put down at that time even though it's better in the long run.

The current roadway needs to go asap. Its useful life is long over.

[qjtransitmaster 216]

Yup, people don't like the idea of a huge sunk cost upfront, but it's needed and better for the long term. It's like the MC pay per ride: people would rather buy the $4.50 card than the $20 [with a bonus] because it's too much money to put down at that time even though it's better in the long run.

The current roadway needs to go asap. Its useful life is long over.

 

Man I hate idiots like that UGH!!!

[Turbo19 2,509]

Yup, people don't like the idea of a huge sunk cost upfront, but it's needed and better for the long term. It's like the MC pay per ride: people would rather buy the $4.50 card than the $20 [with a bonus] because it's too much money to put down at that time even though it's better in the long run.

The current roadway needs to go asap. Its useful life is long over.

 

Not to diverge off-topic but I was suprised to learn at first the MTA offered PPR's in that amount. Ridiculous if you ask me.

[Grand Concourse 2,690]

Which? $4.50? I believe those are mostly sold at the delis where people tend to buy just enough for a round trip. I think it's usually $9, but I used $4.50 to use as an example of people buying the bare minimum. IF people bought a singe ride card, it's $2.50 and you don't get a free transfer. Thus more incentive to buy higher denominations.

I generally buy the $20 card.

Edited December 9, 2012 by Grand Concourse

[qjtransitmaster 216]

Which? $4.50? I believe those are mostly sold at the delis where people tend to buy just enough for a round trip. I think it's usually $9, but I used $4.50 to use as an example of people buying the bare minimum. IF people bought a singe ride card, it's $2.50 and you don't get a free transfer. Thus more incentive to buy higher denominations.

I generally buy the $20 card.

 

another example of the poor getting ripped off

[Grand Concourse 2,690]

No, it just means they don't plan ahead or think too small. To bring it back to the Gowanus: People don't see how paying more now would be cheaper in the long run over 'patch work'.

[qjtransitmaster 216]

Engineer can do stuff about it? small thinkers piss me off.

Edited December 9, 2012 by qjtransitmaster

[checkmatechamp13 2,272]

another example of the poor getting ripped off

 

 

Well, there isn't much the MTA can do about that. If they restructured the fare so that single rides aren't that expensive, but there's no discount, it would cost them more and would discourage some of the additional ridership.

 

If that's your concern, the best solution would be to have poor people apply for certain discount cards like they do in some other cities.

 

Engineer can do stuff about it? small thinkers piss me off.

 

 

The engineer is given the specifications (which includes the budget) and has to work around that. Unfortunately, it makes it harder for them too. Oftentimes, it's a lot easier to just do it in one shot (which is why it ends up being cheaper, because you don't have to work around the other portions of the expressway), but if the higher-ups want it done a certain way, that's what they're forced to do.

[qjtransitmaster 216]

Well, there isn't much the MTA can do about that. If they restructured the fare so that single rides aren't that expensive, but there's no discount, it would cost them more and would discourage some of the additional ridership.

 

If that's your concern, the best solution would be to have poor people apply for certain discount cards like they do in some other cities.

 

 

 

The engineer is given the specifications (which includes the budget) and has to work around that. Unfortunately, it makes it harder for them too. Oftentimes, it's a lot easier to just do it in one shot (which is why it ends up being cheaper, because you don't have to work around the other portions of the expressway), but if the higher-ups want it done a certain way, that's what they're forced to do.

 

I see what made robert moses so powerful what did he do? PM me I will do my own research.

[checkmatechamp13 2,272]

I see what made robert moses so powerful what did he do? PM me I will do my own research.

 

 

He was responsible for the creation and leadership of numerous public authorities which he could control without having to answer to the general public or to elected officials.

 

As head of various authorities, he controlled millions in income from his projects' revenue generation, such as tolls, and he had the power to issue bonds to borrow vast sums, allowing him to initiate new ventures with little or no approval from legislative bodies. This allowed him to bypass the usual power of the purse as it normally functioned in the United States, and the process of citizen comment on major public works

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Moses