MTA Will Let Verrazano Rust Away Until 2017

The Verrazano-Narrows bridge is getting especially rusty looking as it nears its 50th anniversary in 2014, and the MTA isn’t going to waste time to make it look prettier, at least not until 2017.

According to a report by SI Live, the bridge, which is due to get a major reworking on its upper deck platform starting next year, is visibly rusting over on the sign gantries and median. While it doesn’t look too nice, the MTA isn’t concerned since they plan to replace the entire upper deck in 2017.

The two main features of the new level will be its orthotropic deck, which is a continuous structure made of lighter-weight steel without expansion joints, which are subject to leaks and deterioration, and the reversible HOV/bus lane, which will flow with the same direction as rush-hour traffic in the morning and evening commute.

While most prep work this year is taking place during normal lower-level maintenance closures or during off-peak daytime lane closures, the real disruptions will begin in 2014.

Come 2014, when construction finally gets underway, expect regular lane closures. The good news is that the MTA plans to keep Brooklyn-bound lanes open from 5 to 10 a.m. and Staten Island bound lanes open from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. to ease the impact on rush-hour traffic.