I-78/Newark Bay Extension Construction

[revo!]

will this torture ever end?

They've finally finished laying down all of the concrete slabs in this endless project, but they've closed off the shoulders in doing so. Now a minor fender-bender on this godforsaken bridge costs any commuter who dare get caught behind it 45 minutes.

When will they finish this danged project???

[jsir]

Tommy i just started working on the project i am a union laborer. I am sad to inform you that the job is only about 35% complete. Its in phase 1. There are 3 phases. Basically all the old roadway is being taken out and replaced with precast concrete. It will at some point extend all the way to the toll plaza. As far as time schedules i work 7-330, but to my understanding there is a night crew. Not really sure what their doing or their time schedule. Hope i helped you.

[tommyc_37]

Thanks for the info. Do you know what year it will be completed?

[jsir]

i hope you can handle what I'm about to say. IIIIF all the contracts and phases are on time and all that stuff. 2017... It is very time consuming process. Its a very big job.

[Retriever]

Originally Posted by tahiti

ah you silly silly man. I grew up in Bayonne and still go there a few times a year, and I can't remember a time (along with the Bayonne Bridge) that bridge WASN'T under construction (and I'm not exaggerating)!

+1

As a former, long-term resident of Bayonne, I can second that statement.
As to the reason, I was told that because of the influence/corruption of the John V. Kenny political machine in Hudson County in the 1950s, when the roadway was constructed, the job went to politically-connected construction companies that used poor-quality materials and did a substandard job.

Because of the way that the bridge and much of the elevated roadway in Bayonne and JC were constructed, it has necessitated cutting away much of the supporting steel and rebar underneath the concrete, and replacing this metal with much better quality materials--EVERY YEAR, in a patchwork pattern.

As Tahiti stated, this work has been going on for as long as I can remember.