The Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queensboro, and Williamsburg Bridges are not just part of the city's highway infrastructure, they are the red carpets ushering residents, commuters, and visitors to and from Manhattan. The four bridges were built between 1883 and 1909. Despite the functional and symbolic importance of the bridges, New York City's transportation budget has been insufficient for maintaining the structures adequately over the years. At the same time, Federal legislation has funded the full replacement ofbridges, but not maintenance. It was not until 1996 that the Federal Government transportation legislation allowed States and cities to use Federal money for certain maintenance activities. This article reviews how New York City, tapping into the newly available Federal funding, developed a partnership with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), and in 1997 implemented a preventive maintenance program for the four East River bridges. New York State also is helping to ensure that the Federal investment is protected. The article provides a table with details for the Brooklyn Bridge implementation plan, listing maintenance activities, indicates how frequently they are conducted, who performs each task, and contract item numbers if available. Plans for the other three bridges are similar. Also provided is a listing of preventive maintenance activities. Current and anticipated staffing levels were developed based on discussions held with FHWA and NYSDOT during their review of the preventive maintenance program. As a part of the preventive maintenance program, the city will develop and implement, in coordination with FHWA and NYSDOT, a comprehensive computerized preventive maintenance management system.
Abstract