New Glen Island Drawbridge Officially Reopens To Traffic Just In Time For The Season

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — If you were hoping to be the first to drive across the officially reopened Glen Island draw bridge, Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins beat you to the punch with a unique ribbon cutting.

Jenkins joined County officials, project engineers and members of the community to celebrate the opening of the newly rehabilitated Glen Island Bridge, six months ahead of schedule.

"Today marks another important milestone in this project and in our continued investment in Westchester County’s infrastructure," Jenkins said moments before literally crossing the finish line. "Glen Island Park is one of the County’s most treasured public spaces, and restoring traffic to the permanent bridge ahead of the busy summer season reflects the tremendous work completed by our County teams, engineers and contractors. This project has always been about balancing preservation, safety and access while ensuring this historic bridge continues serving residents and visitors for generations to come."

Jenkins told those gathered that the milestone marks a major step forward in the county’s ongoing rehabilitation of the historic bridge, originally constructed in 1930. The span is the only access point for entering Glen Island Park.

"This traffic shift represents the successful completion of a major phase of construction work on the permanent bridge," Westchester County Department of Public Works & Transportation Commissioner Hugh J. Greechan said. "Our crews completed substantial structural, mechanical and electrical upgrades while maintaining safe access to Glen Island Park throughout construction. We remain focused on completing the remaining work safely and with minimal disruption to the public."

While the opening restores pedestrian and car traffic to the permanent structure, the final construction and restoration work will continue through the remainder of the year.

"Kiewit is proud to have successfully rehabilitated this historic bridge while preserving its character and improving long-term performance," The company's Project Manager Zane R. Pointon said. "This work required close coordination among the county, project partners and our crews through every phase of construction. The dedication and expertise demonstrated by our craft professionals throughout the project played a critical role in reaching this milestone safely and efficiently."

Most of the significant work has already been completed as part of the rehabilitation project, including the repair of steel girders, installation of the bridge floor beams, concrete bridge deck, movable span grid deck, pedestrian railings, the bridge’s electrical and mechanical systems, bridge and approach sidewalks, and traffic and pedestrian railing ahead of the traffic shift. Additional work currently underway includes testing of the mechanical and electrical systems ahead of the scheduled reopening of the navigation channel on May 22.

"Rehabilitating a historic movable bridge while maintaining park access and marine operations required extensive planning and coordination across multiple county departments and project teams," Deputy County Executive Joan McDonald explained. "Seeing traffic move back onto the permanent bridge is a significant accomplishment and a testament to the collaboration that has driven this project forward."

Following the traffic shift, demolition of the temporary bridge and removal of temporary piles will continue through late June. Restoration of roadway approaches and landscaping is expected to continue through December.

“Glen Island Park welcomes residents and visitors from across the region throughout the year, especially during the summer months," Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation Commissioner Kathy O’Connor said. "Restoring traffic to the permanent bridge ahead of Memorial Day helps ensure continued public access to one of Westchester’s most iconic waterfront destinations while preserving its historic character."

The full rehabilitation project includes structural steel repairs, masonry restoration, upgraded sidewalks and railings, lighting improvements and extensive electrical and mechanical upgrades designed to preserve the bridge’s historic integrity, while modernizing its operations for decades to come, according to the engineers behind the project.

"As the County Legislator representing this community, I know how much Glen Island Park means to residents throughout New Rochelle and beyond," Westchester County Legislator Terry Clements said. "The reopening of the permanent bridge ahead of schedule is tremendous news and reflects the hard work and coordination that went into this project. I’m proud to see this important investment in infrastructure and public access move forward."