New Brooklyn-Bound Kosciuszko Bridge Ready To Open, Cuomo Says

WILLIAMSBURG, BROOKLYN — The second of two bridges replacing the Kosciuszko Bridge will open ahead of schedule this week, bringing four new lanes to take cars from Queens to Brooklyn, the governor announced.

The Brooklyn-bound side of the bridge, which connects the two boroughs over the Newtown Creek, will officially open before rush hour on Thursday morning. But, bikers and pedestrians can get a sneak peek of the upgraded four lanes on Wednesday from noon to 6 p.m., when the bridge will be open to the public, but not yet to traffic.

The opening comes after Gov. Andrew Cuomo took a final look at the construction on Monday, signing off on the project four years ahead of schedule.

"While the federal administration obsesses over building walls, in New York we are building bridges and other infrastructure critical to moving our 21st century economy forward," said Cuomo, who signed his name and put a handprint into the cement.

"With the opening of the second span of the new Kosciuszko Bridge on Wednesday, we will once again demonstrate to the nation that it's possible to take on big projects and to get them done on time and on budget."

(Office of Governor Andrew Cuomo.)

The Kosciuszko Bridge replacement project has been in the works for about a decade.

It will replace the 77-year-old bridge with two new, cable-stayed bridges, the first of which opened on the Queens-bound side in 2017. Traffic has been running on the five lanes of that Queens-bound section since it opened and will now move to take up both of the new bridges.

The Brooklyn-bound bridge will carry four lanes of traffic and includes a 20-foot bikeway and walkway.

Shoulders that weren't part of the original bridge were added to both new bridges and the road's incline was moved down about 35 feet to make it easier for trucks and large cars to keep up their speed, the governor's office said.

The Kosciuszko project is the first major bridge reconstruction in New York City since the Verrazano Bridge got makeover back in 1964.

(Office of Governor Andrew Cuomo.)