H&H’s experience with the reconstruction of Harlem River Drive (over the entrance and exit of the northbound Harlem River Drive) and East 127th Street spans over 15 years. At 127th Street in East Harlem, a viaduct elevates Harlem River Drive to allow at-grade waterfront access. The project team developed a unique solution that alleviates one of New York State’s worst bottlenecks and simultaneously provides at-grade access to the Harlem River waterfront. The chosen alternative will remove all existing dangerous weave conditions. The alternative will also provide pedestrians with at-grade waterfront access and create additional space for the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation system’s future use.
This $160 million project involves the replacement of the existing seven-span steel Harlem River Drive Viaduct with a new concrete structure that improves traffic movements with four southbound and two northbound traffic lanes.
Throughout the project’s history, H&H has completed in-depth inspection of the existing structure, developed a Bridge Reconstruction Report, and investigated up to ten reconstruction alternatives from the preliminary design phase through final Plan, Specification and Estimate preparation. Included were development, with final approvals, of the BRPR, Design Report, Preliminary Structure Plans and Structure Justification Report as part of coordination requirements with NYSDOT for this Federally Funded project. The project includes superstructure and substructure design, horizontal and vertical realignment, work zone traffic control, construction staging, geotechnical subsurface investigation program, ROW, major utility coordination, and all City and State agency coordination.
The proposed structure consists of both pre-stressed and post-tensioned concrete NEBT beams. The proposed substructure consists of drilled shaft bents socketed into bedrock. The proposed mainline approaches utilize geotechnical ground improvements developed to address poor existing soil conditions.
Work also included a section of roadway spanning the NYC Transit subway line and the relocation of a subway emergency exit.
The project was recently featured in PCI-ASPIRE Magazine.
