Formerly known as the Highbridge Interchange, the Alexander Hamilton Bridge Interchange serves as the nexus for two of the busiest highways in the New York Metropolitan region. Carrying more than 250,000 motorists a day between Manhattan and the Bronx, the eight-lane bridge underwent a complete renovation in 2014.
As part of its continued improvement of the structure, the New York State Department of Transportation selected STV to serve as the lead designer for the design-build team chosen to improve and modernize three ramps and more than a mile of roadway approaches.
Rather than use the prescribed plan to replace the ramps span-by-span during successive weekend road closures over a 26-month schedule, STV’s design team opted not to wait for it or take its time and innovated an alternate plan that would keep traffic flowing and minimize disruptions for motorists and the surrounding community. This proposal featured fascia girders that run the length of each ramp, thereby adding two feet to each side. At the same time, the pioneering use of seismic isolation bearings maintained the existing footprint of the bridge piers in the extremely confined urban space. The new girders provide structural redundancy to meet modern bridge standards and enhance operational safety for motorists.
The team’s award-winning solution didn’t throw away their shot, avoiding closures that could have resulted in financial penalties to the contractor, major traffic disruptions, and negative impacts on the nearby neighborhood.
