US$1bn to help resolve Bayonne Bridge height issue

The steel arch Bayonne Bridge with a 1,675 foot (510 m) central span, handles millions of vehicle crossings annually between Staten Island (NY) and Bayonne (NJ). It crosses the Kill van Kull, a heavily trafficked waterway leading to the port authority’s marine terminals at Port Elizabeth and Port Newark. Channel clearance at mid-span is 151 feet. The bridge was built by the port authority and opened in 1931.

A comprehensive planning analysis is under way to determine a cost-effective solution to the problem posed by the Bayonne Bridge. A prioritised rank of project alternatives will be completed by the end of the year after which the next steps in the programme will be formulated.

Options include modifying the existing bridge by jacking up the current 151 foot (46 m) road deck, creating a lift bridge mechanism at the centre of the span, or building a new taller bridge or a tunnel below the river.