George Washington Bridge Suspension System Rehabilitation

As busy bridges go, the George Washington Bridge takes the crown as the world’s busiest. In 2008, this vital link between New York and New Jersey carried 53,000,000 vehicles eastbound into Manhattan alone. The “GW” holds another distinction: it’s the only 14-lane suspension bridge in the world. With 4,760 ft. of double-decked suspension spans, that’s a lot of bridge to maintain. The New York and New Jersey Port Authority was interested in rehabilitating the bridge's suspension system to ensure its safety for the traveling public.

 

Our firm’s experienced engineers are currently evaluating the suspension system of the George Washington Bridge. As part of the Ammann & Whitney Team, Modjeski and Masters (M&M) is providing design, construction engineering, and field support for a detailed investigation to preserve the structural integrity of each of GW’s four 36-inch diameter main cables. Our responsibilities include wedging and inspection of the cable wires, splice repairs, and material testing of samples. In addition, M&M will work with the Port Authority to replace all suspender ropes within the next 10 to 15 years. Our expertise was also needed to perform a value engineering and constructability review of a proposed scheme to rehabilitate the upper level orthotropic deck and superstructure steel. And M&M recently conducted a seismic analysis and retrofit design of the upper and lower level expressways, including the 178th street, 179th street, and lower level ramps.