Governor Kathy Hochul announced the start of a $44.7 million project to rehabilitate the bridge carrying the Bruckner Expressway over Rosedale Avenue in the Bronx. The project will restore and modernize the bridge to enhance safety and ease travel along this vital commuter and commercial artery in the New York City Region. Around 104,000 vehicles pass over the Bruckner Expressway bridge daily – approximately 38 million vehicles every year. State-of-the-art construction materials and techniques will be used to help reduce the bridge’s long-term maintenance costs and extend the structure’s lifespan by more than 40 years. The project will build on the State’s unprecedented investments to enhance infrastructure in the South Bronx and improve the quality of life for residents – investments that include the ongoing $1.7 billion Hunts Point Access Improvement Project.
“New York State continues to make historic investments in infrastructure that will reconnect communities, promote economic activity and competitiveness, and improve quality of life for New Yorkers,” Governor Hochul said. “The Bruckner Expressway bridge over Rosedale Avenue is a vital connection in the South Bronx, and these improvements will improve its safety and resiliency to benefit the surrounding community for decades to come.”
As part of the rehabilitation, multiple bridge spans will be eliminated and stainless steel will be used to reinforce the deck of the bridge, which will reduce the bridge’s life-cycle maintenance costs. The existing 27 span-bridge will be converted to a three-span structure, with the remaining 24 spans filled with light-weight concrete and converted to an on-grade highway section to reduce maintenance requirements. The rehabilitated bridge will also be jointless, so moisture will no longer penetrate through joints and corrode the underside of the bridge. The wall façade of the bridge, which is currently brick, will be replaced with fibrous cement – precast concrete panels on the top and precast concrete “stone slabs” on the bottom – that are more durable and easier to maintain. This will also enhance the overall aesthetic of the neighborhood.
Other upgrades include new lighting as well as a new drainage system for improved resiliency. Steel girders will be painted, and some portions of Bruckner Boulevard and Rosedale Avenue under the Bruckner Expressway will be milled and paved with an asphalt overlay. Standard barriers will be installed to enhance safety for the traveling public in the event of potential impacts. The existing drainage catch basins will be removed from the traffic lanes and new ones will be installed on shoulders, enhancing ride-ability and ensuring that traffic is not interrupted should the catch basins need to be inspected or maintained. New traffic signal heads will also be installed on the outermost beams of the bridge. Existing light poles on the expressway and lighting under the bridge will be removed and replaced with new LED lighting. The project is slated for completion in Spring 2026.
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “No one is investing more in connecting people than Governor Kathy Hochul because she understands the importance of making smart infrastructure investments which grow our economy and help ensure our communities continue to prosper. This rehabilitation project on the Bruckner Expressway will not only help ensure that a vital traffic artery remains open and viable for decades to come, but it will also build on our ongoing commitment to revitalize the South Bronx communities and to improve economic opportunity and quality of life for all its residents.”
State Senator Nathalia Fernandez said, “This much-needed investment is crucial to address the safety and travel challenges faced by our Bronx residents and businesses along this vital corridor. The deteriorating state of the bridge has been a cause for alarm, and this project’s utilization of state-of-the-art construction materials and techniques offers a glimmer of hope. By extending the bridge’s lifespan by over 40 years, reducing maintenance costs, and implementing a jointless design, we can finally provide our community with a safer and more reliable transportation infrastructure it so desperately deserves.”
Assemblymember Kenny Burgos said, “As Bronxites rely heavily on the Bruckner each day, this bridge rehabilitation project is essential for improving travel safety along the expressway. I commend Governor Hochul and all parties involved for taking this vital and necessary step. I look forward to seeing the extraordinary benefits this project will have for my district and the Bronx as a whole.”
Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson said, “Our bridges are essential in getting our residents from point A to point B and the Bruckner Expressway is a prime example of this in the Bronx. I want to thank Governor Kathy Hochul for her $44.7 million investment in ensuring the Bruckner Expressway is modernized for the 21st century and safe for the thousands of riders who rely on the freeway for their daily commute. I look forward to the completion of this important project and to our continued work fighting for transportation equity.”
