Thursday, February 18, 2010

One of these will be new Kosciuszko Bridge design

From the Times Newsweekly:

These computer-generated images show the four designs for the new Kosciuszko Bridge over the Newtown Creek being considered by the New York State Department of Transportation. Under the plans, the DOT will demolish the current 70-year-old structure and replace it with two parallel spans providing a total of nine lanes of traffic as well as standard traffic lanes and shoulders. The choices for the new bridges — which the public will have the chance to comment on at an open house [today], Feb. 18 in Middle Village [at Christ the King from 3pm-8pm] — are (clockwise, beginning at top left) a box girder, a deck arch, a cable-stayed span or a through arch bridge. (photos courtesy of New York State DOT)

10 comments:

faster340 said...

Oh look the politicians are going to line their pockets and help their cronies build a new bridge and we all are gonna get the crap taxed out of us for it.... Cool I love it...

Anonymous said...

@faster340: Agreed. I think greedy politicians and developers have designs on us!

KG2V said...

My vote - which costs the least - not only in design, but in maintainence

Anonymous said...

KGV I agree we do need a replacement but make it affordable we don't need a "Landmark"

Patrick Sweeney said...

I have wondered through my 50 years of passing over this bridge how frequently did a ship actually need that 125 ft clearance above MHW to enter and leave Newtown Creek. And while we are dreaming, let's have another go at the Bushwick Expressway.

KG2V said...

OK, from what I understand, the original 125 ft bridge (the new one will be somewhat lower, but has to match the approach roads) is/was due to US Coast Guard rules. There is/was a formula for determining minimum height above mean high water where the bridge doesn't have to be a drawbridge, and the formula went back to the days of sailing ships when the original bridge was designed, hence being 125 ft above mean high water.

Today, I don't doubt that the formula has been changed to deal with the fact that the canal doesn't have handle commercial sailing ships

georgetheatheist said...

How do 2 parallel spans translate into 9 lanes of traffic? And will there be a bicycle lane?

Newtown Pentacle said...

This is a long link, but it'll take you to the NYS DOT site where they've posted a "primer" with dumbed down diagrams for we the unwashed.

https://www.nysdot.gov/regional-offices/region11/projects/project-repository/kosciuszko/pdf/bridgeprimer.pdf

Kevin Walsh said...

I like the cable-stayed idea-- I like the design and I wish NYC could have a major one of our own. There are 2 small ones at 12th and 45th, and the FDR Drive in the East 60s

Of course they could shore up the existing bridge and save a few $$$

www.forgotten-ny.com

Christina Wilkinson said...

According to last night's presentation, there will be a bike lane and pedestrian lane on one side of the bridge.