Staten Island, N.Y.-Elizabeth, N.J.

Work Begins on New $1.5B Goethals Bridge

After nearly a decade of negotiation and debate, work began earlier this month on the $1.5-billion project to replace the more than 80-year-old Goethals Bridge. Substantial completion of the new cable-stayed bridge—said to be the Northeast region's first surface transportation project built as a public-private partnership—is expected in late 2016, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

The bridge, which connects Staten Island, N.Y., with Elizabeth, N.J., will include wide travel lanes and 12-ft shoulders aimed at easing congestion and accommodating future traffic volumes.

It will be equipped with "smart" bridge technology—including a weather information system that collects environmental data such as wind speed, visibility and pavement temperature. It will also have a traffic detection system that uses sensors embedded in the roadway to provide alerts on traffic conditions in order to improve incident response times.

The NYNJ Link Partnership—a joint venture of Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets Inc. and Kiewit Development—along with lead contractors Kiewit Infrastructure, Weeks Marine and Massman Construction, won the 40-year, design-build-finance-maintain contract for the new bridge.

The project is part of more than $10 billion worth of mega-bridge projects under way in the metropolitan New York area (ENR New York, 12/16/13 p. 20).

New York City

Mayor de Blasio Unveils Affordable Housing Plan

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has laid out a 10-year, $41-billion plan to build or preserve 200,000 affordable homes across all five boroughs.