The second span of the Kosciuszko Bridge, between Brooklyn and Queens, recently opened to traffic four years ahead of schedule.
The project, which was completed on budget, is the first new major bridge crossing constructed in New York City since 1964. It replaces a 77-year-old truss bridge with two cable-stayed bridges.
The Brooklyn-bound bridge carries four lanes of traffic and a 20-feet-wide bikeway and walkway with views of Manhattan. The Queens-bound bridge carries five lanes.
The bridge opened Aug. 28 for residents to bike or walk over the new bridge.
“While the federal administration obsesses over building walls, in New York we are building bridges and other infrastructure critical to moving our 21st-century economy forward,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “With the opening of the second span of the new Kosciuszko Bridge on Wednesday, we will once again demonstrate to the nation that it’s possible to take on big projects and to get them done on time and on budget.”
The bridges’ incline was reduced approximately 35 feet to allow large vehicles to maintain consistent speeds in an attempt to reduce traffic congestion.
Phase one of the project was completed in April 2017 and traffic was shifted to the new Queens-bound bridge.