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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 10, 2002
PR-142-02
www.nyc.gov


MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG ANNOUNCES EARLY REOPENING OF WILLIAMSBURG BRIDGE

Williamsburg Bridge Opens 50 Days Ahead of Schedule;
Work to Begin on First-Ever Handicapped Accessible Pathway


Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Iris Weinshall today announced that the final two lanes of the Williamsburg Bridge reconstruction project are opening to traffic. The opening of the lanes is 50 days ahead of the previously scheduled completion date of July 30, 2002 because of the incentive/disincentive clause in the Yonkers Construction contract for the Williamsburg Bridge project.

"Effective today, all eight lanes of this historic East River Bridge are open," said Mayor Bloomberg. "This re-opening will provide some much needed relief in traffic and bring more people into Lower Manhattan to visit, work, shop, and dine. I want to congratulate the Department of Transportation for getting this job done 50 days ahead of schedule and getting people moving back into Lower Manhattan that much sooner."

"Thanks to the DOT's incentive program, aspects of the Williamsburg Bridge are opening ahead of schedule," said Commissioner Weinshall. "This rehabilitation of the roadways and subway system will significantly ease congestion on the BQE, Gowanus Expressway, and in Lower Manhattan."

The Mayor also announced that - for the first time in the Bridge's history - the Williamsburg Bridge will soon be readily available for people with disabilities. A brand new, American with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant pedestrian and bicycle path will be erected on the Bridge, which first opened to horse and buggy traffic on December 19, 1903. Prefabricated portions of the pedestrian bridge and bikeway have already been transported near the site, and work should be complete by Fall 2002.

With the two lanes re-opening today, the Williamsburg Bridge will maintain four lanes Brooklyn-bound and four lanes Manhattan-bound on weekdays from 3 p.m. to 6 a.m. Prior to today's opening only two Manhattan-bond lanes were open in the afternoon. The current morning configuration of four lanes Manhattan-bound and two lanes Brooklyn-bound will remain in effect from 6 a.m. until 3 p.m., as a two-lane closure will be required during work on the pedestrian bridge and bikeway. When the pedestrian bridge and bikeway is complete this fall, the Bridge will maintain a four-lane Manhattan bound, and four-lane Brooklyn bound configuration.

The Department of Transportation has now completed three significant phases of the Williamsburg Bridge. During Phase I, DOT completed a full reconstruction of the four southern roadways. During Phase II, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority repaired subway lines located in the middle of the bridge.

Phase III - or reconstruction of the four north roadways - began on January 29, 2001 - with the closing of all four roads. The first two north outer roadways were completed on December 10, 2001 - also 50 days ahead of schedule. This roadway construction also was completed ahead of schedule and Yonkers Construction was awarded an incentive of $100,000 a day for each day the construction finished ahead of schedule, or $5 million dollars - the maximum allowed by the contract. If the project had gone past the scheduled completion date, the contractor would have been penalized $100,000 for every day, with no time limit.

The Phase III contract was for $202 million, and DOT has invested more than $600 million to complete all three phases, which also included rehabilitation of the main cables.

All East River crossings have received significant improvement in the last couple of years. The Queensboro Bridge was completely re-opened to traffic in September 2000, with nine vehicular travel lanes and a lane dedicated to pedestrian and bicyclists. The Brooklyn Bridge was completely re-opened to traffic after an emergency redecking project was completed on all six lanes in April 2000. Work also continues on the Manhattan Bridge, as the roadways and subways are undergoing a complete rehabilitation.

 

www.nyc.gov

Contact: Ed Skyler / Jordan Barowitz
(212) 788-2958
Tom Cocola (DOT)
(212) 442-7033