MTA Finishes Rebuilding 6th Ave. Bridge in Mount Vernon Early

MOUNT VERNON, NY — The reconstruction of the 6th Avenue Bridge in downtown Mount Vernon was completed Saturday, a month ahead of schedule.

The bridge is now open for pedestrians and vehicular traffic across the bridge over Metro-North’s New Haven Line tracks.

Pleased about the progress, Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard pointed out on Facebook that the 10th Avenue Bridge is under construction, the 3rd Avenue bridge is being demolished, and the Fulton Avenue Bridge and South Street Bridge are next on the list. "We will continue to push until ALL NINE BRIDGES are completed and Safe," she wrote.

However, the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic has jeopardized future bridge repair. The MTA is seeking federal funding as New York's shutdown caused what agency officials called "financial calamity."

In Mount Vernon, Metro-North expected to seek design build proposals from companies next year for the replacement of the South Side Bridge and Fulton Avenue Bridge, but the MTA’s whole 2020-24 Capital Plan is on hold.

The work by MTA Construction & Development to replace the 126-year-old 6th Avenue bridge began in March 2019.

Construction work included demolishing the old bridge, its road decks and rehabilitating its masonry abutments followed by installing replacement girders and the concrete decks of the bridge. Signal cables were also relocated. As contractors worked to replace the bridge and install new metal fencing, street lighting and traffic signals, other crews conducted lead abatement and asbestos removal. The contract to replace the bridge was awarded to E.E Cruz, a civil construction contractor based in New York City.

“The completion of the 6th Avenue Bridge is a symbol of our commitment to the people and City of Mount Vernon to have a safe bridge that serves as an artery to get downtown,” said Catherine Rinaldi, Metro-North Railroad President. “We know how important this to the community, and we are thankful to our workforce who got the job done early."

The work was part of a combined $23 million project to replace the 6th Avenue Bridge and the 10th Avenue Bridge. Funding for the 6th Avenue Bridge project came from the MTA’s 2015-19 Capital Program and cost about $11.5 million to complete.

Metro-North Railroad has been replacing bridges for 10 years across the New Haven Line in downtown Mount Vernon.

• Metro-North replaced the Park Avenue/1st Avenue Bridge in 2011.
• Metro-North opened the new 14th Street Bridge on July 3, 2019.
• The 10th Avenue Bridge is being rebuilt and expected to open in 2021.
• Construction began on the 3rd Avenue Bridge in April 2020 and is expected to take 18 months to complete.

"One of the most important functions of the government is to ensure the safe passage of our roads and bridges,” said Westchester County Executive George Latimer. "The 6th Avenue Bridge is a major thoroughfare that can now once again serve as a gateway to downtown Mount Vernon – as it did me for almost daily as a young resident of the City. Every day we look for progress and today, with our partners in government, I am proud to say we have found it."