MTA’s Park Avenue Viaduct: Railway Upgrade & Schedule Success

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Introduction

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has finished the bridge replacement segment of the initial phase of the Park Avenue viaduct replacement project, concluding ahead of schedule and under the $590 million budget.

Bridge Replacement Completion

The MTA has successfully finished the bridge replacement component of the first phase of the Park Avenue viaduct replacement project. This stage of the project was finalized ahead of schedule and under the allocated budget of $590 million.

Financial and Operational Details

Approximately $501 million of the project’s cost was covered by federal funds. The MTA replaced 8,240 track feet of the 132-year-old bridge located in East Harlem. This work was performed without causing any service disruptions to the MTA Metro-North Railroad.

Project Scope and Future Work

The structure supports four Metro-North tracks that run along Park Avenue, spanning between East 110th Street and the Harlem River lift bridge. The remaining portion of Phase 1, which mainly includes additional work on the rail systems of the new bridge, is scheduled to continue throughout the winter. MTA officials project that the first phase will be substantially completed by April 2026.

Innovative Construction Methods and Project Acceleration

The MTA employed a gantry system to replace complete sections of the existing bridge deck with 128 prefabricated bridge units. This technique allowed the MTA to simultaneously begin the second phase of the viaduct replacement project. As a result, the entire viaduct replacement project is now 51 weeks ahead of schedule and $93 million under its original budget.