After five long years, at last, the 149th Street Bridge is open again.
Last Wednesday, cars were seen zooming by and parking along the newly paved and reconstructed bridge. The following day, elected officials and community leaders hailed the reopening as a boon to the Murray Hill neighborhood.
“After five years of frustration, countless meetings and phone calls, I cannot tell you how relieved I am,” said State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky. “The Murray Hill business community will no longer face financial struggle because of a damaged bridge and residents will not have to walk past this eyesore again.”
The crossway was originally supposed to open in 2012, but closer examination found it to be faulty and unsafe for cars. It remained closed while a replacement bridge was planned.
The work for this new bridge began last November. Originally scheduled to open in 2017, local leaders pushed to expedite the process.
“Thank you to the DOT for fast-tracking the construction of this project, and especially for establishing penalties in the event of further delays,” said Councilman Peter Koo. “While it has taken a long time to get to this point, this expedited completion of the 149th Street bridge is a fine example of the city doubling its efforts to correct past failures.”