This design-build project includes the design and construction of a gently graded, 1,400 foot-long steel and concrete ramp that connects the RFK Bridge to the Northbound Harlem River Drive in East Harlem. The fixed bridge is shoehorned between the northbound and southbound lanes of the Harlem River Drive, a popular route that filters vehicles to the George Washing Bridge, America’s busiest crossing. Constant communication among the team resulted in top-notch coordination among all involved parties, even when COVID-19 was at its height, and ensured that any emerging issues were promptly dealt with and proactively resolved. The project’s initial schedule was modified from 18 months to a challenging 15 months by the design-build team as a result of its ingenuity and determination. Despite all of the numerous challenges, the project came in 50 days ahead of schedule. This certainly could not have happened without the utilization of the design-build delivery process.
Innovation & Collaboration Deliver Community Impact
The Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Bridge, formerly the Triborough Bridge, is a signature facility operated by MTA Bridges and Tunnels, a subsidiary of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York. This complex structure connects three New York City boroughs, Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx, through approach roads, three bridges, and one viaduct. A detour that had been in place for more than 60 years was inconvenient to drivers, potentially unsafe for pedestrians and bicyclists, and damaging to the environment. The project eliminates these issues by diverting traffic away from city streets, reducing noise and improving air quality, and enables vehicles exiting the RFK Bridge to reach their destinations in a timelier manner. The team is also proud to have achieved 30% attainment of Minority/Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE) hiring on this critical project.
Design-Build Team
| Client/Owner: | NY Metropolitan Transportation Authority Bridges and Tunnel |
| Design-Build Firm: | Judlau Contracting, Inc. |
| Engineer: | Parsons Transportation Group |
| Specialty Contractors: | Arora and Associates, B Thayer Associates, Imperial Ironwork, Inc., Keller NA (formerly Moretrench), Rebar Steel Corp. |
| Owner Advisor: | Hardesty & Hanover |
| Construction Duration: | 13.5 Months |
| Project Cost: | $46,100,000.00 |
