Cuomo: Second Span of Kosciuszko Bridge Ahead of Schedule

Years of gridlock have come down to this — and it is good news for one span of the new Kosciuszko Bridge.

The second span of the bridge is designed to relieve congestion on the fairly new first span.

When the $550 million dollar eastern span of the Kosciuszko Bridge opened in 2017, it did not stop the complaints from drivers that had piled up for generations.

However, on Monday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo promised opening the $330 million second span just four months from now, saying it will make a huge difference.

Wondering how that’s possible? The new span will add three more lanes for a total of nine lanes.

That’s quite an upgrade for a bridge named after a Polish commander who helped America in the Revolutionary War.

The governor told News 4 it was the contractor that decided to move up opening day by several months, insisting it wasn’t a pre-planned political maneuver to “guesstimate” 2020.

“When we first planned, it was 2023,” Cuomo said, adding that the contractor has an incentive to finish early.

“Every day they save — they make more money. It’s either about love or money? Here it’s about money,” Cuomo said.

For neighbors tired of the construction noise, not only is a more peaceful night is promised for September, but thee infamous connection from Brooklyn to Queens above the Newtown Creek — perhaps the most infamous stretch of the BQE — could finally be a route without gridlock.

Photo Credit: News 4 New York

from NBC New York - Top Stories http://bit.ly/2Y7vO8H