• Near the Bridge
  • Electric current Project
  • Previous Contracts
  • Upcoming Contracts

About the Bridge

The Ed Koch Queensboro Span, likewise known every bit the 59th Street Bridge, is a cantilever truss span over the East River. Information technology connects Manhattan and Queens and serves some of the busiest arteries in New York City. As of 2018, an average of over 145,500 vehicles, 5,000 cyclists, and 1,900 pedestrians travel over the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge each day.

The Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge expands over the East River from Queens to Manhattan

Bridge Facts

  • Total length: 3,725 feet
  • Full length including the approaches: 7,449 feet

History

Designed past the bridge engineer Gustav Lindenthal and builder Henry Hornbosted, the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge was constructed between 1901 and 1909. The bridge opened to traffic on June xviii, 1909 as the longest cantilever bridge in the Usa. This v span cantilever truss span, designed to arrange heavier loads, is the only 1 of the 4 neat East River Bridges that is not a intermission bridge.

The bridge is conveniently located over Roosevelt Island, which provides the perfect footing for the piers. 75,000 tons of steel went into the original span and its approaches. Its original cost was virtually $18 one thousand thousand, including $4.6 meg for land.

The Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge has 2 levels: the upper level of the bridge has four lanes of vehicular traffic, and the lower level has 5 traffic lanes consisting of iv inner roadways and a southern outer lane. The north outer roadway serves every bit a pedestrian and bicycle path. Diverse alterations have been made over the years. During the 1930'due south, the lower inner roadway trolleys were removed and the roadway was reconstructed for vehicular traffic. In the 1950's the transit tracks were removed, north upper roadway and Queens Approach Ramps A, C, and D were built. In the 1950's trolley tracks were removed from the lower outer level and replaced with one lane roadway on each side, designated the north and s outer roadways.

The Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge was designated equally a national landmark on November 23, 1973.

Current Project

News and Notices

Follow Ed Koch Queensboro Span on Facebook for the about recent construction news and notices, posted by NYC DOT.

Upper Deck Replacement

The Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge rehabilitation program continues under Contract No. ten. The project focuses on the replacement of the upper deck. The anticipated completion is late 2022.

Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Upper Deck Replacement Presentation (pdf)

Project Scope:

  • Upper deck replacement on primary bridge
  • Upper deck rehabilitation on both approaches
  • Structural steel rehabilitation
  • Deck joints and barrier replacement
  • Lighting and drainage improvements
  • Incidental bridge painting
  • Fire standpipe organisation replacement

Impacts

  • Dark and daytime closures associated with this project volition be appear periodically
  • The North Outer Roadway conveying pedestrians and bicyclists may be narrowed during off-peak hours past upward to a maximum of l feet
  • The pedestrian and bicyclist path volition always exist bachelor; however, pedestrians and bicyclists are advised to use circumspection
  • At to the lowest degree one lane in each direction on the upper and lower roadways will always be open up

Construction Project Contact:

For more information about this project, please contact Anita Navalurkar, the community liaison for the Ed Koch Queensboro Span Rehabilitation/Contract No. ten, at QBBKochUpperDeckRehab@gmail.com or past calling 917-370-9770.

Previous Contracts

Picture and diagram of the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge with labels to highlight where on the bridge work has been done under previous contracts.

5 Contract five (1995-2000): Rehabilitation of Lower Outer Roadways primary spans and approaches. Removal and replacement of roadway deck on N and South Outer Roadways. Replacement or reinforcement of stringers, floorbeams, tie angles, plates and bearings. Installation of new curbs, barriers and railings. Installation of new drainage arrangement, $227M

half dozen Contract 6 (2003-2008): Rehabilitation of Miscellaneous Components. Microsurfacing on upper Roadways, Rehabilitation Manhattan Arroyo Arch opening Infills West of Starting time Avenue Arch on Due north & South Sides, Install Granite Bollards in Manhattan Approach Plaza at Kiosk, etc., $50M

7 Contract 7 (Terminated): Queensboro Span Structural Seismic Retrofit Contract

8 Contract 8 (2009-2010): Aviation Lights Replacements, $2M

9 Contract ix (2009-2010): Eyebar and Pivot Investigation, $0.62M

Upcoming Contracts

The Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge is continuously maintained in a State of Good Repair through capital letter projects and routine, in-firm repairs to improve its components as they withstand weather conditions and vehicular traffic.

Mayor Bill De Blasio's "Bridges for the People" initiative to transform vehicular lanes into bicycles lanes is currently under evaluation past NYC DOT. Updates on the Ed Koch Queenboro Bridge South Outer Roadway Projection