Beginning Tuesday, Feb. 28th a new construction work zone will be set up along Narrows Road South near the last entrance to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, which will result a reconfiguration of traffic lanes from three to two lanes and the elimination of up to approximately 20 parking spots.
As part of the $50 million, 45-month Verrazano-Narrows toll plaza improvement project, contractors will be adding a new retaining wall and abutment for construction of the new Narrows Road South fly-over ramp to help ease both car and bus traffic onto the Brooklyn-bound upper level of the bridge. The work is also in preparation for construction of a new lower level connector roadway in 2014 that will take motorists directly from the Staten Island Expressway to the bridge’s lower level.
New No Standing/No Parking signs will be installed east of the last New York City Transit bus stop along Narrows Road South and stretching about 400-feet to the top of the curve on the Lily Pond exit ramp, and will remain in place until this stage is completed in 2013. Cars that park there beginning Feb. 28th are subject to fines and towing.
“We regret the inconvenience to motorists who normally park near the bus stop while this stage of the project is underway,” said Verrazano-Narrows Facility Engineer David Riggs. “Elimination of the parking spots is necessary in order to keep two lanes open and traffic flowing along Narrows Road South.”
Two slightly narrower lanes of traffic will remain open for motorists entering the toll plaza from the Narrows Road South on-bound ramp and exiting onto Lily Pond Avenue. Currently three lanes of traffic are funneled into two lanes on both of these ramps. The construction work zone, which includes the left hand side roadway shoulder, will be separated from traffic by a concrete barrier.
The project was awarded to Restani Construction Corp., of Astoria, Queens in September 2011. Removal of the last three decommissioned Brooklyn-bound toll booths was completed earlier this month. The entire project is scheduled for completion in 2015.
