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March 2, 2009

Brooklyn Bridge Rehab Starting This Summer

brooklyn-bridge-traffic-0309.jpg
Starting in June, the Department of Transportation (through subcontractors) will embark upon an overhaul of the Brooklyn Bridge—its first in two decades—that is expected to take four years and cost as much as $500 million (at least part of which will come from Federal money). In addition to the arches and suspension wires getting repainted, the ramps, anchorages, joints and railings will all receive major structural repairs. (A 2006 report called the bridge's condition "poor.") Starting in the summer of 2010, Manhattan-bound traffic will be closed every few weekends.
Lanes to Shut for $500 Million Bridge Rehab [NY Post]
Brooklyn Bridge to Go on Hiatus For First Time in 20 Years [Gothamist]
Photo by Mauro




Posted by Brownstoner at 10:31 AM | Comments (17)
Categories: Brooklyn Heights, Dumbo, Streets

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Comments

Any news as to whether they will have to close the walkway at all for this?

Posted by: ari at March 2, 2009 10:48 AM

since the car lanes will be closed, will they charge people a two dollar toll to walk across?

Posted by: sam at March 2, 2009 10:49 AM

They'll never get the walkway closed for more than a minute. They tried that in the Koch years and it lasted three days, I was one of the ones who got arrested marching to keep it open.

But damn, you'd think given the massive rehab they did in the 1980s, things wouldn't have gotten this bad this fast.

Posted by: denton at March 2, 2009 10:57 AM

"since the car lanes will be closed, will they charge people a two dollar toll to walk across?"

And will their be a bikepool lane for bikes with more than one person on it?

Posted by: Biff Champion at March 2, 2009 11:03 AM

You people are all such doomsayers. I'm sure the whole project will be impeccably well managed with the utmost of thought given to the most efficient handling of all issues. :)

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at March 2, 2009 11:31 AM

Perhaps they should just not bother. I am sure it is fine as it is.

Posted by: Putnamdenizen at March 2, 2009 11:58 AM

It is definitely not fine as it is. The approach lanes are a mess (although not nearly as bad as the approach lanes to the Manhattan bridge, Manhattan-bound, on the Brooklyn side—that's so bumpy, it feels like you're in a goddammed rodeo). Listen to the prez, folks—we need to maintain our crumbling infrastructure. The process isn't fun, but it's necessary.

For one thing, it would be great if they could refine the ramps to these bridges so they don't need to have concrete barricades all over the place, and lanes that feel three feet wide.

And by the way, with all the talk about pols wanting to add tolls to these bridges, what boggles my mind is this: Nobody talks about where, exactly, they could build a toll plaza for the Bklyn and Manhattan. Where, exactly? You would block traffic all the way back into downtown brookyln (which is already a traffic disaster) and beyond. Impossible.

Posted by: Rehab at March 2, 2009 12:05 PM

Agree with Rehab...the Bridge is beautiful from afar and far from beautiful. I cross it each day and it is needs significant rehabilitation.

(and I need to correct my earlier post of "their". Should be "there")

Posted by: Biff Champion at March 2, 2009 12:20 PM

rehab:
toll plazas are outdated.
They will charge tolls with the new system they use in London where cameras snap license plates as they whiz by.
You can take your chances and not pay if you think the camera did not get a clear shot of your license, but you risk getting a whopping late fee. Evidently in London, the real money is in the late fees.
I could not imagine a worse time to do this, if restaurants and theaters are having a hard time pulling through the recession as is, I dn't think tolls are going to help boost the public's desire to go into Manhattan. In the end, the desired effect of quieter streets and dimished traffic may be achieved but it will be at the cost of the loss of many many businesses.
You have to wonder what it is exactly that politicans want.
Increased revenues from tols or deceased revenues from business and income tax.

Posted by: sam at March 2, 2009 12:25 PM

I had assumed (based on no inside information) that tolls would be handled using an Open Road Toll system, similar to the one featured in this article: http://njmonthly.com/articles/lifestyle/open-road-e-zpass.html.

Of course, there's no guarantee that something like would be used.

Posted by: SteveFtGreene at March 2, 2009 12:26 PM

Sam - I always assumed they would use those highway style ezpass readers that don't require any plazas or even require you to slow down. It should be law that you need an ez pass anyway.
Also I think your analysis misses the whole point. They don't want to reduce the number of people in manhattan, they want to reduce the number of cars. People can still get to Manhattan via trains and buses for the same price they pay now. Maybe a small percentage of people won't go out in manhattan because it'll cost $2.00 more, but most will either suck it up (typical night out in Manhattan usually runs me over $100 - what's another $2? Not even half a beer) or they'll take the subway...

Posted by: bkre at March 2, 2009 2:25 PM

EZ pass is great if you have one, but not everyone does, including out-of-state drivers. The DOT needs to use a universal system that does not depend on the car owner having a device in the car. I am sure they will administer it flawlessly as they do everything in their care.
For those of us who occasionally take a taxi to or home from Manhattan it is an additional two dollars each way on the fare. And the two dollars is just the introductory fare. Meanwhile subway and bus fares are out of control, and if you ride bike, better take a lot of life insurance.

Posted by: sam at March 2, 2009 3:02 PM

Rehab: I was being sarcastic.

Posted by: Putnamdenizen at March 2, 2009 5:08 PM

Where is a $2 toll reported?

Posted by: Nomi at March 2, 2009 6:09 PM

Where is a $2 toll reported?

it was reported in the NY Times, Daily news, Wall Street Journal, AM New York, TV stations, Radio.

Where have you been?

Posted by: sam at March 2, 2009 8:07 PM

Are motorcycles going to get the same % discount we get on the MTA bridges and tunnels? I pay $1.81 with ezpass, vs. $4.15 for a car. I think it's like $2.25 vs. $5 if you pay cash.

Posted by: Sparafucile at March 2, 2009 9:03 PM

I don't know. I thought I was right here. But I guess not.

It hasn't passed yet, though, right? But sounds more likely than the hundred other times it's been threatened.

Posted by: Nomi at March 2, 2009 9:38 PM

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