In June, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a $46 million investment to rehabilitate four overpass bridges along the Staten Island Expressway, including the two bridges that carry Staten Island Expressway traffic over Richmond Avenue. To accommodate the rehabilitation project while maintaining all travel lanes, two temporary lanes are currently being installed in the median between the eastbound and westbound expressway bridges. (Staten Island Advance/Jason Paderon) Jason PaderonJason Paderon

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Starting early next year, drivers can expect to see changing traffic patterns along one of the busiest segments of the Staten Island Expressway.

In June, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a $46 million investment to rehabilitate four overpass bridges along the Staten Island Expressway, including the two bridges that carry Staten Island Expressway traffic over Richmond Avenue.

The project includes structural repairs and the installation of new bridge decks, which are expected to increase the lifespan of the expressway bridges by 40 years and reduce the need for future maintenance work.

“New York State is committed to rebuilding our infrastructure and ensuring that our transportation network remains safe and reliable, which will allow our economy to grow and keep our communities vibrant,” Hochul said at the time.

To accommodate the rehabilitation project while maintaining all travel lanes, two temporary lanes are currently being installed in the median between the eastbound and westbound expressway bridges.

Those temporary lanes are expected to be completed by early 2023, at which point they will begin carrying two lanes of expressway traffic over Richmond Avenue, according to the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT).

Traffic patterns will be adjusted throughout the project, depending on which permanent lanes are currently being rehabilitated, meaning the temporary lanes will carry eastbound traffic during some phases of the project and westbound traffic during others.

The shifting traffic patterns are expected to persist for nearly two years, with the project scheduled for completion in fall 2024.

The project will replace the concrete bridge decks on the two expressway bridges, as well as the approaches and lamp posts within the project area.

To bolster safety, the steel bridge railings will be replaced with concrete barriers, with new bridge joints installed at the ends of the approaches to reduce the need for future maintenance.

Workers will also repair the concrete and bricks beneath the structure, while upgrading the under-deck and adding overhead lighting systems to increase visibility for late-night Richmond Avenue drivers.

The project will replace the concrete bridge decks on the two expressway bridges, as well as the approaches and lamp posts within the project area. (Staten Island Advance/Jason Paderon) Jason PaderonJason Paderon

The state has also started work on the other Staten Island Expressway project announced in June; the rehabilitations of the Bradley Avenue and Woolley Avenue overpasses.

To accommodate the replacement of the bridge decks, the overpasses have been reduced to two travel lanes and converted to one-way traffic until early spring 2024.

Under the new traffic patterns, the Woolley Avenue overpass is only handling southbound traffic, while the Bradley Avenue overpass, located roughly a half-mile down the service road, is only handling northbound traffic.

The change resulted in heavy traffic near the Bradley Avenue overpass on Monday morning, with multiple NYPD Traffic agents on scene to direct drivers, many of whom honked their horns and bemoaned the change.

Under the new configuration, cars heading northbound on Woolley Avenue are detoured right onto South Gannon Avenue, left over the Bradley Avenue overpass, and then left onto North Gannon Avenue.

Meanwhile, cars heading southbound on Bradley Avenue are detoured right onto North Gannon Avenue, left over the Woolley Avenue overpass, and then left onto South Gannon Avenue.

The project includes replacements of the concrete bridge decks, as well the installation of new sidewalks and steel bearings at both overpasses.

The new bridge decks will use “link slabs” instead of traditional bridge joints, which are expected to reduce the amount of regularly scheduled maintenance required.

The structural steel beams and concrete on the pier columns and abutments will be repaired, with new pedestrian fencing set to be installed and the steel bridge railings replaced with concrete barriers.

The project will use Polyester Polymer Concrete (PPC), which provides waterproofing protection to the new concrete surfaces.

Utilities will be replaced along both overpass bridges, with new LED lighting installed underneath to improve late-night visibility on the expressway.

Additionally, the project will fully resurface affected intersections, add pavement markings and install new street lighting, accessible pedestrian signals and curb ramps.

Major construction project on 2 Staten Island Expressway overpasses: What drivers need to know

A new traffic pattern on the Bradley Avenue and Woolley Avenue bridges will begin Friday as part of the rehabilitation work.

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