The Bayonne Bridge in New Jersey was dedicated Friday after the $1.7 billion bridge had been under construction since 2013.
The four-lane bridge replaces one built in 1931. It rises 215 feet above the Kill Van Kull to give the world’s largest container ships higher navigational clearance to the Port of New York and New Jersey and provide access to the port terminals in Elizabeth and Newark.
The additional clearance is forecasted to generate 400,000 jobs and billions in economic activity.
“Today marks a new chapter in (the Bayonne Bridge’s) history, not just as a bridge between two states, but as a bridge to greater opportunities for the people of New Jersey and beyond,” U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) said at the ceremony. “Deepening our port, expanding our capacity for trade and raising the Bayonne Bridge took years of cooperation between many local, state, and federal players. It’s about securing the Port of New York and New Jersey as a gateway for global commerce and jobs in the 21st century.”
The largest class of marine vessels can handle up to 18,000 20-foot equivalent units. A total of 753 of these vessels called on the port last year.
The bridge also features a pedestrian/bicycle path.