The Hamilton Avenue Bridge is a bascule type bridge with two parallel leafs, one carrying the northbound roadway and the other carrying the southbound roadway. Most of the length of Hamilton Avenue runs below the elevated portion of the Gowanus Expressway, including the bridge. The bridge connects Smith Street and Second Avenue over the Gowanus Canal and is the first canal crossing north of the Gowanus Bay.

The reconstruction will replace the entire bridge in two stages with limited impact on motorists, pedestrians and nearby communities. There will be minimal impact on marine traffic. Contract completion is scheduled for Spring 2009.

For a detailed description of the project, in both English and Spanish, read the brochure (in pdf format).

The bridge re-opened to two-way traffic on August 15, 2008, and three lanes of traffic in both directions opened the weekend of August 16-17, nearly two weeks sooner than the original project completion date of August 31.

One of four lanes in each direction will remain closed in both direction as crews continue restoration of road surfaces, bridge testing and start installation of light sculptures atop the bridge buildings as part of the DOT's commitment to the Percent for the Art Program. The northbound median lane is scheduled to open around Labor Day and the southbound median lane is scheduled to open around mid-October, bringing the span's full four lanes of traffic in each direction into operation.

The northbound bridge was scheduled to be closed for two months in the summer of 2007 and the southbound bridge was scheduled to be closed for the same period this summer. Following on incentives gained from finishing the 2007 project two days early, the contractor finished the 2008 portion 14 days ahead of time, and is earning financial incentives for early completion. The completed project will provide the public with a new, reliable transportation facility for years to come.