Bayonne Bridge project to take 2 more years to complete

The Bayonne Bridge "Raise the Roadway" project will take 2 extra years to complete.

The $1.3 billion project, which the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey says will allow the world's biggest container ships clearance under the bridge to dock at Port Newark is 50% complete. Unfortunately, the project has been delayed by "numerous  challenges" including the harsh winter, changes in project staging to address community concerns and reduce construction impacts overnight and complicated steel reinforcement activities that required additional repairs and modifications.

The delay took some shipping companies by surprise. “Frankly, this came out of the blue. We were expecting this to happen by the end of next year,” Marc Bourdon, president for North America for French shipping line CMA CGM SA told the Wall Street Journal.  “Clearly it impacts the type of vessel size that can be deployed, and we need to re-look at how this is going to affect our plans for 2016.”

"The Bayonne Bridge's 'Raise the Roadway' project is one of the most innovative and challenging projects the Port Authority has ever undertaken, and will help maintain our position as the East Coast's premier port for international trade," said Executive Director Pat Foye of the project, which creates a new roadway above the existing road.

The bridge has been closed most days and weekends in both directions while work continues on the project. Upon completion the drivers will have wider lanes, new shoulders and a divider in the median. A bike-and-pedestrian walkway will also be added to the bridge, which was opened to traffic in 1931.