What to Know
- The Kosciuszko Bridge was built in 1939 and connects Brooklyn and Queens
- One of two new spans will be completed in April; traffic will be diverted to the newly built span before the second is completed in 2020
- The old Kosciuszko will be demolished this summer, according to Gov. Cuomo
The overworked Kosciuszko Bridge is getting a new span in April — and parts of the old bridge will be blown up over the summer.
Gov. Cuomo said the demolition will speed up the bridge project by seven to nine months.
When it's completed in 2020, there will be two spans connecting Brooklyn and Queens: one in each direction. In April, all traffic will be diverted to one of those spans.
An estimated 185,000 vehicles cross the rusting, 78-year-old bridge every day. Cuomo says it was built for 10,000.
The governor said he remembers being stuck in traffic on the bridge as a kid — and his dad laying on the horn.
In addition to reducing congestion, the new bridge will have colorful LED lights that can be changed for special events.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
