$46 Million Investment Allocated to Rehabilitate Bridges Along The Staten Island Expressway

This appropriation of New York State DOT funding for Staten Island road and bridge infrastructure improvements is important for our road safety and resilience. I am grateful to our tax payers, the Governor, State DOT and the Staten Island State Senate and Assembly delegation for this work," said State Senator Andrew Lanza.

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a $46 million investment in two projects now getting underway that will rehabilitate four bridges — each more than 60-years-old — along the Staten Island Expressway (Interstate 278), easing travel and enhancing safety through this heavily traveled corridor. The bridges carrying Woolley Avenue and Bradley Avenue over the Staten Island Expressway, and the bridges carrying the Staten Island Expressway over Richmond Avenue will receive new bridge decks and other improvements that will extend their service life by an estimated 40 years and reduce the need for future maintenance.

"New York State is committed to rebuilding our infrastructure and ensuring that our transportation network remains safe and reliable, which will allow our economy to grow and keep our communities vibrant," Governor Hochul said. "These two projects will improve conditions on four critically important bridges to Staten Island motorists and help keep people and commerce on the move throughout the borough for decades to come."

Woolley Avenue and Bradley Avenue Bridges over the Staten Island Expressway

Scheduled for completion in fall 2023, the project rehabilitating the bridges carrying Woolley and Bradley Avenues over the eastbound and westbound Staten Island Expressway will replace the concrete bridge decks, sidewalks and steel bearings, paint the structural steel and repair the structural steel beams and concrete on the pier columns and abutments. The project will also replace the steel bridge railings with concrete barriers, install new pedestrian fencing, replace the utilities across the bridges and add new LED lighting beneath each bridge. Both bridges, located half a mile apart, will be rehabilitated simultaneously to expedite the construction completion.

Other benefits include replacing street lighting, adding pavement markings and resurfacing the pavement at intersections within the project limits. Existing curb ramps will be upgraded to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Traffic signals will be replaced and upgraded and will include Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS), devices that communicate information about the "Walk" and "Don't Walk" cycles in a non-visual form for blind and visually impaired pedestrians.

Additionally, advanced technology will be used to help preserve the service life of the bridges, including the use of "link slabs" instead of bridge joints. Link slabs, comprised of concrete, are designed to continuously connect two adjacent spans in order to eliminate bridge joints on the bridge, which require regular maintenance as a result of moisture leaking into the joints. Polyester Polymer Concrete (PPC), a type of concrete that provides waterproofing protection to concrete surfaces on bridge columns and abutments, will also be used.

Staten Island Expressway Bridges Over Richmond Avenue

Scheduled for completion in fall 2024, the project rehabilitating the bridges carrying eastbound and westbound traffic on the Staten Island Expressway over Richmond Avenue will replace the concrete bridge decks, approaches and lampposts on the approaches. The steel bridge railings will be replaced with concrete barriers to enhance safety.  New bridge joints will be installed at the ends of the approaches rather than in the bridge decks, minimizing maintenance needs on each bridge. 

Other benefits within the project limits include painting of the steel beams and fascia, repairing concrete and bricks beneath the structures and upgrading the underdeck and overhead lighting systems. An overhead sign structure located on the westbound Staten Island Expressway will also be replaced. Additionally, the Intelligent Transformation Systems (ITS) on the sign structures within the project limits will be upgraded.

During construction, a temporary bridge will be installed between the eastbound and westbound Staten Island Expressway bridges to allow all travel lanes to remain open.

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, "Thanks to Governor Hochul's leadership, New York State is investing in transportation infrastructure projects that connect communities, improve resiliency and facilitate economic growth. These two projects on Staten Island will extend the service life of four important bridges by decades and help ensure that this vital travel corridor continues to meet the needs of the tens of thousands of motorists who travel through it each day."

State Senator Diane Savino said, "I am happy to have been part of securing funding for these much needed projects. I want to thank the Governor and the entire State DOT team for making these projects a priority. As any Staten Islander knows the SIE is the lifeblood of our borough and these improvements will undoubtedly help ease congestion."

State Senator Andrew Lanza said, "This appropriation of New York State DOT funding for Staten Island road and bridge infrastructure improvements is important for our road safety and resilience. I am grateful to our tax payers, the Governor, State DOT and the Staten Island State Senate and Assembly delegation for this work."

Assemblymember Michael Cusick said, "Staten Island's dated infrastructure is in desperate need of maintenance and repair. I am glad to see that Governor Hochul is prioritizing the safety of Staten Island residents and commuters by investing in much needed repairs to several Staten Island expressway bridges."

Assemblymember Charles D. Fall said, "I would like to extend out a special gratitude to the Governor for allocating this much needed infrastructure funding for Staten Island. I look forward to continue working with the administration on future infrastructure projects, such as the North Shore Bus Rapid Transit Project."

Council Member Kamillah Hanks said, "A major investment like this one in Staten Island's infrastructure is absolutely critical for a borough that so heavily relies on transit via cars and MTA buses. This rehabilitation along the Staten Island Expressway is a vital step towards improving both transit safety and quality of life for drivers, bikers, and residents alike, and I am grateful to the Hochul Administration for prioritizing this."