This rehabilitation project was required to provide maintenance and repairs to the lower-level deck, completed in 1969, which experienced age-related deterioration; in addition, it provided safety, egress, and alignment improvements and reconfigured the Bay 8th Street interchange from a cloverleaf to half diamond with roundabout. As a subconsultant, SI Engineering, P.C. (SIE) provided construction inspection services.
Work included roadway repairs to the lower level suspended spans, repaving of the lower level, new signing and striping, relief joint rehabilitation, repairs to lower level finger joints, and miscellaneous steel repairs. The scope also included miscellaneous painting and repairs to the standpipe at tower struts, upper level painting, WIM installation and commissioning, miscellaneous electrical work, FDNY fiber installation, and major maintenance repairs to Belt Parkway roadway ramps as required.
Another goal of this project was to improve safety by alleviating congestion on the Belt Parkway that resulted in queuing and collisions on the bridge, as well as improve the westbound Belt Parkway approach to the bridge. The project provided an additional 4th auxiliary lane from the eastbound VNB merge with the Belt Parkway to Bay 8th Street, enhanced signing and pavement markings, reconfigured the eastbound Bay 8th Street Ramps, constructed a new roundabout at the Bay 8th Street interchange, and provided various improvements to Shore Park. Specific scope items on this project included full depth pavement for the eastbound Belt Parkway widening and new eastbound Bay 8th Street ramps, as well as pavement milling and resurfacing for the westbound mainline Belt Parkway and eastbound parking area. The scope also included overhead sign structures, roadway lighting, Belt Parkway median rail / barrier, pedestrian pathways, and significant landscape planting. New retaining walls were constructed, including a soldier pile wall in the Belt Parkway median near the VNB ramp merge and fill type retaining walls supporting the Bay 8th Street interchange ramps and walkways. Drainage improvements included roadway closed drainage and stormwater infiltration practice.
Work was coordinated with multiple ongoing projects, and intensive MPT was required to minimize disruption to drivers. SIE staff were responsible for inspecting all contractor work to ensure that it was performed safely and in accordance with all contract requirements. Our staff performed daily inspections of all MPT and maintained accurate and detailed written inspection records of all field activities.
