Construction Closes GWB Upper Level Lanes During Overnight Hours for 12 Weeks

Starting Monday, three of the four upper-level lanes of the George Washington Bridge will be closed overnight for the next 12 weeks for construction, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey announced in a release this week.

According to the release, the project will work on the upper-level deck rehabilitation project, and will close the lanes from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. Friday into Saturday. There will not be closures on weekend nights, the announcement said.

Construction will alternate between the eastbound and westbound lanes.

During Yankee games and MetLife Stadium events, the closures will not begin until an hour after the event ends, the notice said.

Though trucks must use the upper level, the Port Authority urged drivers to use the lower level during the construction period.

“During overnight deck rehabilitation work last summer, delays peaked at 60-75 minutes on the upper level during construction, while the lower level saw minimal or no delays on most nights,” the PA said in the release.

The construction is part of a $199 million project for the rehabilitation of the George Washington Bridge’s upper level structural steel deck. It is slated for completion in 2015, and is forecasted to extend the life of the bridge by 15 to 20 years.