Published: Feb. 18, 2022, 3:52 p.m.
By Erik Bascome | tbascome@siadvance.com
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has launched a new chapter in the agency’s ongoing study to widen the borough’s narrowest bridge.
On Thursday, the Port Authority announced that it will begin a more thorough examination of potential options for widening the Outerbridge Crossing, which first opened in 1928, building on the results of preliminary feasibility study that was completed in 2020.
“Our 2020 study was intended to be comprehensive, and this added chapter will fulfill that intent and ensure solid analysis of all rehabilitation options,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton.
The continuance of the study comes following legislation signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul in December, which directed the Port Authority to assess the alignment and surrounding property of the Outerbridge Crossing to determine the feasibility of widening the bridge in an effort to increase traffic flow at the oft-congested crossing.
“As it is currently built, the Outerbridge Crossing’s narrow lanes and inadequate traffic flow are a frequent commuter headache. With this legislation we hope to expedite the process of dramatically improving quality of life and enhancing safety for commuters from New York and New Jersey alike,” the governor said at the time.
In April 2016, former Assemblyman Ron Castorina Jr. led other elected officials in calling on the Port Authority to begin the environmental impact statement process for a new bridge.
Then, in March 2017, the Port Authority took its first steps toward a potential replacement of the Outerbridge Crossing, announcing that the agency would perform a “comprehensive condition assessment and asset management study” on the bridge, as well as a “long-term demand forecast” for Staten Island bridges.
In April 2018, the agency approved a $9.2 million planning authorization, which resulted in a detailed condition assessment, a life cost analysis and a traffic demand analysis for the bridge.
Now, as part of the ongoing study, the Port Authority will examine the alignment of the bridge and determine which nearby private properties would have to be acquired in order to complete a potential expansion.
Once the study has been completed, the Port Authority will issue a report to the governors of New York and New Jersey, as well as the leaders of the New York State Senate and Assembly.
The Outerbridge Crossing, the only Staten Island-connected Port Authority bridge yet to be modernized, still features just four, narrow 10-foot lanes and is often subject to heavy traffic, particularly during the summer months as Staten Islanders make regular weekend trips to and from the Jersey Shore.
It’s currently unclear whether a widening project on the Outerbridge Crossing would entail an expansion of the existing structure or the complete construction of a new bridge.
A spokesperson for the Port Authority said it’s not yet clear how long the newest phase of the study will take to complete.
SUPPORT FROM LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS
Modernizing the Outerbridge Crossing has long been a priority for many Staten Island elected officials, including Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/South Brooklyn), who said that the recently passed federal infrastructure bill provides a unique opportunity to fund such a project.
“The bipartisan infrastructure bill that we passed in November provides a rare opportunity to fund the widening or replacement of the Outerbridge Crossing,” the congresswoman said. “I am happy to work with Representative Pallone of New Jersey to advocate for the necessary improvements to this 100-year-old bridge in a bi-partisan and bi-state manner to increase motor vehicle capacity and reduce traffic congestion.”
Borough President Vito Fossella and Councilman Joe Borelli (R-South Shore) have also been pushing for an Outerbridge Crossing modernization project, with the two urging the Port Authority to use funds that had been previously earmarked for the LaGuardia air train project to accelerate the timeline for a new bridge.
“Councilmember Borelli and I called for replacing the Outerbridge Crossing last year, because we believe the bridge is unsafe, outdated and is unable to handle the large volume of traffic. We share the frustrations of all Staten Islanders who spend hours in congestion when traveling,” Fossella said Thursday.
“While this study will focus on the widening of the bridge, we believe that the best thing to do is to build a new bridge as soon as possible. It worked with the Goethals Bridge and it will work here,” the borough president added.
OTHER PORT AUTHORITY BRIDGES
In recent years, the Port Authority has completed similar projects to widen and modernize the agency’s other two Staten Island bridges, the Goethals Bridge and the Bayonne Bridge.
Both new bridges were reconstructed with wider, 12-foot travel lanes, as well as inside and outside shoulders, in order to increase vehicle capacity, subsequently improving traffic flow and reducing congestion on the heavily-trafficked crossings.
Click the following links to learn more about the recent modernization projects on the Goethals Bridge and the Bayonne Bridge.