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After eight years, there is a new bridge in the Bronx.
Unionport Constructors, a joint venture between SPC Construction and Lane Construction, has celebrated the completion and grand opening of the new Bruckner Expressway over Westchester Creek in the New York City district, according to a Dec. 10 press release from parent company SPC FlatironDragados.
The new span replaces the old Unionport Bridge, a bascule bridge that was erected in the 1950s, according to the news release. The $232 million Unionport Bridge Replacement Project replaces that span with a modern double-leaf bascule structure, which is designed for a 75-year lifespan.
SPC is a subsidiary of Colorado infrastructure giant FlatironDragadoswhich brought together Schiavone Construction, John P. Picone and EE Cruz to create an infrastructure company in the New York and New Jersey region. Lane Construction is part of the Webuild Group, a global construction consortium with Italian roots.
According to the statement, the joint venture of SPC and Lane Construction used a phased construction approach that allowed traffic and marine operations to continue while it was being built. The Unionport Bridge project began in 2017 and was completed in 10 phases, according to the Webuild Group’s project page.
Upon completion, the bridge will connect the Cross Bronx Freeway, the Bruckner Expressway and the Hutchinson River Parkway, according to the announcement. The project has two side-by-side single-leaf scale sections that each support three lanes of traffic.
Unionport Constructors isn’t alone in renovating an aging mobile space: In October, California-based Granite began work on the $138 million renovation. Chicago’s Lake Street Bascule Bridge by the DOT of the city. The builder will completely replace the Windy City crossing, which was first built in 1916.
New York City’s updated bridge includes a pedestrian walkway and protected bike lane; advanced mechanical and electrical systems; and improved lighting, signaling and security systems.
