The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in New York recently announced the completion of a tower pedestal restoration project at the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge—three months ahead of schedule and under budget.
The work involved restoration of the pedestals and foundations at the Brooklyn and Staten Island towers of the bridge.
MTA said this $34 million state-of-good-repair project consisted of restoring the original 1960s-era granite pavers and tower foundation exposed surfaces, extending their useful life for many years to come.
“Restoring these structural elements ensures the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge will continue to serve our customers throughout the region for decades to come,” Daniel F. DeCrescenzo Jr., President of MTA Bridges and Tunnels, said in a statement. “Being able to preserve the original aesthetics is a bonus for one of New York’s most iconic crossings.”
The granite façade was restored to original condition and all joints were sealed to protect the tower foundations, which support the 693-ft-high towers, weighing 27,000 tons each. The existing granite stone encapsulation of the four pedestals was cleaned and methodically restored to original condition. In doing so, the original tower foundations were exposed, inspected for structural integrity, and repaired. While exposed, the concrete surfaces of the top-of-tower foundations had a waterproofing protection membrane applied that will protect and preserve them from future deterioration.
Another segment of the project consisted of constructing a new mooring platform at the Staten Island pedestal and rehabilitation work to the Brooklyn mooring platform. These platforms serve as locations where FDNY fire boats may tie up and gain access to the fire standpipe system that runs up to the roadway levels for emergency use.
Construction of the pedestals was originally completed in 1964.
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SOURCE: Metropolitan Transportation Authority
