Contractors Group Lists Saddest El Roadways

The Kosciuszko Bridge, which connects Brooklyn and Queens along the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, is the most deteriorated of all the city's elevated roadways, according to the General Contractors Association of New York, a labor and advocacy organization. The Daily News reports that yesterday the group made a public plea for funds to remedy the city's saddest elevated roadways, which include second-worst candidate, the Gowanus Expressway, and eight others in the Bronx. The GCA states that current funding for the roadways is insufficient to repair and maintain them. It seems to us that the August 2007 collapse of the 35W bridge in Minneapolis should have been a warning sign to cities everywhere of the importance of regular testing and maintenance—since the GCA's list is based on structural integrity, not just surface failures, hopefully someone in the city government is listening.
Kosciuszko Bridge Is Worst Elevated Roadway [NY Daily News]
Photo by jag9889

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Comments

"saddest elevated roadways"? -- I may be rundown and need of repair but I'm not sad. I think the NJ bound GWB is saddest because that means leaving NYC.

Posted by: Petebklyn at October 1, 2009 9:47 AM

Yea, the Kosciuszko is a bit of a thrill cos you all have to squeeze into narrower lanes, its a high hump, and there's holes in the surface through which you can see the creek..

Posted by: dittoburg at October 1, 2009 9:50 AM

What the heck is this group talking about? The Kosciusko bridge is slated to be completely replaced. It will be torn down and replaced by a new bridge. It's already in the City's capital budget.

Posted by: benson at October 1, 2009 9:54 AM

Are these more important than bishop's crook streetlights???

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at October 1, 2009 9:55 AM

DIBS;

You want to hear more of this lunacy? You know what has delayed the replacement of the Kosciusko? First the LPC had to do a study to determine if the bridge had any cultural or historical importance. For a friggin "erector-set" bridge over the Newtown Creek. Oh well, I'm sure it provided some employment for leeches - er, I mean "consultants".

Posted by: benson at October 1, 2009 10:00 AM

I believe it. Insanity.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at October 1, 2009 10:15 AM

And all that construction work on the BQE during rush hour is for? Don't tell me it is just to keep construction workers busy and people bottled up in traffic for hours. I don't want to hear that the BQE or Gowanus are a wreck after I see them spending millions of taxpayer money every single day.

Posted by: hannible at October 1, 2009 10:29 AM

Why is the Kosciusko sad? It's probably my 2nd favorite after the 3rd Ave bridge.

Posted by: dirty_hipster at October 1, 2009 10:32 AM

It wasn't LPC that did the review. As a federally funded project (being done by the state, not the city, I believe), the work falls under Section 106 review, which means that the State Historic Preservation Office has to sign off (the agency getting the funding is responsible for carrying out the review). The SHPO review was looking at the potential engineering significance of the bridge, but I think it also concerned potential archaeological impacts. (This is the same review mechanism that is in play at Admirals Row.)

Last I heard, there is a temporary bridge or roadway proposed while the bridge itself is taken down and replaced. But that may have changed.

Posted by: WBer at October 1, 2009 10:44 AM

Poor Thadeus Kosciuszko! What will be named after him now? He was, I believe a great Patriot of Polish American heritage, and a hero of the Revolution.

Posted by: wasder at October 1, 2009 11:25 AM

Thadeus Kosciuszko is a piker compared with Major Deegan.

Posted by: East New York at October 1, 2009 11:53 AM

benson - I thought the Kosciuszko bridge was delayed due to Indian land issues on the creek?

Posted by: dittoburg at October 1, 2009 1:10 PM

"hero of the Revolution"

I believe he commanded the American cavalry, wasder

Posted by: CarrollGardened at October 1, 2009 4:13 PM