$300 Million George Washington Bridge Repairs Approved

By Rockland Daily Staff

The Port Authority has approved $300 million for repairs to the George Washington Bridge and the roads and tunnels around it, including major work on the Trans-Manhattan Expressway after pieces of concrete fell onto traffic in May.

The funding includes $117 million for repairs to the Trans-Manhattan Expressway, $70 million for work on the bridge’s upper deck and $26 million for repairs to tunnels and structures on the New Jersey side.

The Trans-Manhattan Expressway repairs follow two incidents on May 8 and May 13, when pieces of concrete fell from overhead. During the May 13 incident, debris struck a car and a passenger was taken to the hospital. The roadway was closed while crews inspected the area and made repairs.

The new project will address damaged concrete and steel, including overpasses, support beams, retaining walls and joints.

Another $70 million will go toward repairs to the bridge’s upper deck, including replacing sections of steel decking and expansion joints, removing rust and strengthening steel beams. The deck has experienced more wear than expected, partly because of increased truck traffic on the upper level after trucks were restricted from using the lower level in 2001.

The remaining $26 million will fund repairs to the New Jersey anchorage chamber and tunnels leading to the bridge’s lower level. In July, wall tiles fell onto an access road, and inspections found additional damage caused by deterioration and water.

Construction is expected to begin next year, with the work scheduled to finish in early 2030.

These projects are separate from the Port Authority’s $2.1 billion Restore the George program, which began in 2015 and is expected to be completed in late 2027.