Bayonne Bridge

The Bayonne Bridge is an arch bridge spanning the Kill Van Kull connecting Bayonne, New Jersey with Staten Island, New York City. It carries NY 440 and NJ 440. The Bayonne Bridge is the fifth-longest steel arch bridge in the world, and was the longest in the world at the time of its completion. The bridge is also one of four connecting New Jersey with Staten Island; the other two roadway bridges are the Goethals Bridge in Elizabeth and Outerbridge Crossing in Perth Amboy, and the rail-only Arthur Kill Vertical Lift Bridge, all of which traverse the Arthur Kill.Starting in 2013, there has been an ongoing project to raise the roadbed, providing increased clearance for shipping to accommodate neo-Panamax ships. A new roadway, completed in November 2016, spans the length of the bridge, and opened to traffic on February 20, 2017. A navigational clearance of 215ft above mean high waters is expected to be achieved in late 2017, with project completion in mid-2019. The original roadway carries two lanes of motor traffic in each direction, as well as a walkway that is temporarily closed for reconstruction. The roadway deck could accommodate an expansion for either two traffic lanes or two light-rail lanes. The new roadways will each carry two lanes of unidirectional motor traffic, in addition to a walkway. During construction, all traffic uses the new northbound roadway with one lane in each direction.