Skip to main content

Project

Ed Koch Queensboro Inspection & Rehabilitation

Completed in 1909, the two-level double cantilever Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge in New York City is the only major East River crossing that isn’t a suspension bridge.

Lead Contact

Project Details

Project Partners
New York State Department of Transportation
Owner
New York State Department of Transportation
Location
New York, New York
Completion Date
Queensboro Bridge
Rehabilitation of the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge in Manhattan. Thornton Tomasetti

Inspecting and Updating the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge

Completed in 1909, the two-level double cantilever Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge in New York City is the only major East River crossing that isn’t a suspension bridge. Connecting Queens to Manhattan’s Upper East Side, the Ed Koch Queensboro was the longest cantilever span bridge in North America until 1917. While it once carried trolleys and horse-drawn carriages into Manhattan, today the Ed Koch Queensboro features nine vehicular lanes and one pedestrian and bike lane, supporting an estimated 170,000 daily commuters.

We provided bridge inspection services to the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) for the bridge’s 2014 and 2016-2017 biennial inspections as well as design and construction support for the subsequent reconstruction of the bridge’s upper deck system. The rehabilitation is scheduled for completion in 2020.

Highlights

  • We provided inspection services in 2014 for the bridge’s main spans and approach spans.
  • We also assisted the NYSDOT in the implementation of AASHTO Bridge Element Level inspection to the East River Bridge inspection program.
  • We performed the biennial inspection successfully and completed the project on-time and within budget.
  • Flanking the bridge on its north side is the Roosevelt Island Tram, New York City’s only aerial tramway and one of three active commuter tramways in the United States. We provided the original structural design for the tramway’s 1976 debut and used advanced computer analysis to assist in its rehabilitation and equipment upgrade in 2011.