Crews began the rehab project in early 2010

Rehabilitation of one of the city's greatest landmarks is now underway. The Brooklyn Bridge, completed in 1883, is undergoing a four-year, $500 million safety and aesthetic improvement program that began in early 2010. The city Department of Transportation (DOT) is leading the rehabilitation project with the help of contractor Skanska Koch Inc., which recently rehabilitated the Manhattan Bridge cable system.

The heavy traffic that traverses the Brooklyn Bridge, a national historic landmark, has underscored the importance of its function -- which is why DOT planners will conduct most of the work overnight and on weekends when traffic volume is lowest.

When the work is complete approximately 2014/2015, drivers will enjoy the benefits of widened entrance ramps from the FDR Drive and exit ramps onto Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn -- both of which will expand to two travel lanes.

Detour and mitigation plans will help alleviate traffic congestion during the project. With the help of regular community outreach, message boards, traffic agents, and other communications, drivers will be redirected to the Manhattan Bridge, Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, and other crossings when work is taking place. The city DOT plans to maintain three moving lanes of traffic at all times, alternating work on eastbound and westbound roadways depending on peak traffic volumes.

Click here to read about planned traffic changes during the project.

Brooklyn Bridge rehabilitation work also will be coordinated with contractors for adjacent projects, including the East River Waterfront, Chatham Square reconstruction, and the various Department of Design and Construction infrastructure projects.

Read more about the project on the city's website here.

Summary

This weekend there will be an overnight detour to Manhattan-bound traffic on Fri (5/17) night. There will be no closures on Sat (5/18) or Sun (5/19). Please see schedule below.NOTE: NYCDOT has recently completed a major expansion of access ramps to and from the Brooklyn Bridge and the FDR Drive, which will now accommodate two traffic lanes and simply traffic patterns. Learn more: http://on.nyc.gov/13fkxyW 

Overnight Detours for Manhattan-Bound Traffic:

• Fri night/Sat morn (5/17): Midnight* to 7AM
• Sat night/Sun morn (5/18): No closure
• Sun night/Mon morn (5/19): No closure
• Mon - Thurs night (5/20 - 5/23): 11PM* to 6AM

* Brooklyn-bound traffic can still travel over the Brooklyn Bridge at all times during the work. Maps are posted on the project website: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/brooklyn_bridge_brochure.pdf

Traffic can always head to Brooklyn.

Unanticipated events or field conditions can delay or accelerate planned work.

Overview:

Manhattan - Work continues on the North Cantilever between Park Row and Ramp D and on the left lane of the Brooklyn-bound Manhattan Approach.  Work beginning soon beneath Ramp C.

Brooklyn - See Brooklyn work zones map.  The break-down of the York St Structure's abutments and deck continues, as does backwall work and deck replacement at the Main St Structure.   Sidewalk construction along Cadman Plaza West where the street meets Ramp F has commenced.

FULL WEEKEND WESTBOUND CLOSURE PLANNING: Full 54-hour weekend westbound bridge closures will occur throughout 2013; exact details are posted here upon announcement. The next full-weekend closures are tentatively planned for July 20-22; August 24-26; and September 7-9. Read more here.

BIKE & PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC NOTE: The promenade will remain open throughout all phases of construction. In order to fully enclose railings and other components however, the paint removal containment units will reduce the width of the path by 1.5 feet on each side and be from 600 to 1000 feet long. For the safety of all bridge users, cyclists will be directed to dismount and walk through the work zone. As work progresses the units will move across the bridge until the project is complete. 

Pedestrian and bicyclist managers are now posted on the Brooklyn Bridge.

Additional traffic updates: 

http://nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bridges/brooklyn_bridge.shtml#traffic

* To allow traffic to clear before the reversal begins, the BQE exit closes 30 minutes earlier, the FDR Drive exits close an hour earlier, and all other Brooklyn ramps shut down 5-15 minutes earlier.

Daily Activities

*The following information was last updated May 22, 2013.

• Westbound overnight roadway closures active since April 2011 for ramp repaving
• Drumgoole Plaza is closed for work on Ramp A from FDR S/B
• The pedestrian promenade and bikeway is narrowed in sections for restoration of bridge cables
• Bridge closures and lane reductions vary by day and time; for detailed information: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bridges/brooklyn_bridge.shtml#traffic 
• The skate park on the Manhattan side of the bridge closed in June 2010 for construction staging and overhead painting.

Contact Info

For more information about this project and to subscribe to email alerts, contact DOT Project Liaison Dustin Molter at (347) 647-0876 or via e-mail at brooklynbridgeoutreach@gmail.com. 

Traffic notices and continual updates are posted here: http://nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bridges/brooklyn_bridge.shtml#traffic

Frequently Asked Questions

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