Brooklyn, NY – Though it was originally slated to wrap up this spring, a two-decade-long rehabilitation program for the Williamsburg Bridge will continue through 2008, according to the New York City Department of Transportation.
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Rather than complete the comprehensive structural makeover of the century-old 7,308-ft long structure in June as originally scheduled, the agency has extended Contract 8, the last of the program’s major rehabilitation packages, to address tasks that were not part of the original scope of work. That decision will keep designer Parsons Transportation Group of New York, contractor Koch Skanska of Carteret, N.J., and other consultants on the job for another 18 months.
“N.Y.C. DOT wanted to take advantage of the experience and resources that are already in place,” says Craig Chin, an agency spokesman.
The department has added several major assignments to Contract 8, including seismic repair and strengthening of intermediate tower structural steel column bases. Other new tasks involve encasing existing granite piers with reinforced concrete and a new granite exterior, as well as replacing steel multi-roller bearings at two locations in the towers.
“The bearings were no longer rolling as required and radiographic examination revealed stress cracking of upper and lower castings,” Chin says.
In the new work, the project team will install movable barriers, a site-specific barrier transfer machine and facility, and lane control signs to manage traffic flow on the bridge’s south inner roadway during weekday morning rush hours. In addition, the team will also repair bridge members to address problems found during scheduled and special inspections.
The city transportation agency estimates that materials and labor for these additional tasks will cost $80.3 million, bringing Contract 8’s total price tag to approximately $303 million. [McGraw Hill]