1.011 Project Evaluation Spring Term 2003Steve M. Alpert Page 11The Cross-Bronx Expresswayby Steve Alpert1.011 Final Project, Spring 20032Overview• Took longer to build than any other NYC highway planned after World War II• Completed in 1964 (eastern Bruckner interchange completed in 1972)• 16% cost overrun ($10.5 million in 1950 $); interchanges at each end cost as much as expressway between them• Critical link in Interstate highway system as well as essential corridor for commuters, through traffic, and commercial vehicles• 175,000+ vehicles per day on I-95 section (25% trucks)3Risks and Uncertainty• Opposition (will the community say no?)• Time (will it be built near schedule?)• Usefulness (will pieces of the highway be stranded with no connections?)• Materials (will they delay construction by being unavailable? or will their cost be a major issue?)• Fatalities (what can go wrong on the jobsite?)4Cost-Benefit Analysis• Benefits– Interstate Highway freeway link (good for trucks)– Fewer delays, more capacity than surface streets– New buildings, improvements near expressway•Costs– Split neighborhoods in half, families displaced– Overruns due to slow progress, social/political problems– No room to widen expressway for current needs5Discount rate: 10.00% Interest rate: 5.00% Total costs (1950 $): 40.911 million $1954 worth:86.278million $1945 0.48 0 0 0 0 0 0.480 0.627 0.6131946 0.48 0 0 0 0.04 0 0.520 1.235 0.5631947 0.48 0 0 0 0 0 0.480 1.715 0.4091948 0.48 2.4 0.211 0 0 0.2 3.291 4.094 2.2841949 0.24 6.45 9.451 0.4 0 2.625 19.166 17.280 12.6971950 0 0.8 6.013 3.717 0 1.665 12.196 25.673 7.3221951 0.16 0 0 2.808 0.120 0.26 3.348 28.698 1.6941952 5 0 0 0.64 1.947 0.08 7.667 33.581 3.3891953 0.15 0 0.444 1.92 0.243 0.41 3.167 36.675 1.3861954 1.1 1 2.105 2.16 0.1 0.75 7.215 41.201 2.6311955 0 0 0.550 2.38 0.76 0.35 4.040 44.655 1.3541956 0.72 0 0 0 0 0 0.720 47.107 0.2141957 0.72 0 0 0 0 0 0.720 49.655 0.1891958 0.84 0 0 0 0 0 0.840 52.337 0.1941959 0 4.75 4.524 3 0 0.87 13.144 57.796 2.7681960 0 0.25 2.898 2.425 0 0.54 6.113 61.847 1.1371961 0 0.15 0.698 3.375 0 0.36 4.583 65.735 0.7741962 0 0 0.698 0 0 0.36 1.058 69.186 0.1601963 0 0.1 0.582 0.375 0 0.36 1.417 72.839 0.1911964 2.5 0.9 0 4.125 0 0.18 7.705 77.449 0.943cumulative cost (adjusted for inflation)1950 total worthCosts (million $)YEARright of way (ROW) acquis-ition, planningtotal cost for yearlabor/ testingmaterialsconstruc-tion pavementdemolition/ relocation6NYC expressways and parkways• 1908: Long Island Motor Parkway opens: first highway using overpasses, one of first w/ concrete• 1925: Bronx River Parkway opens: first surviving limited-access highway, first NYC-area parkway• 12/36: Regional Plan Association proposes NY/NJ/CT freeway network• Late 1945: Robert Moses proposes limited-access highways for all vehicles– Existing parkways only open to cars– Largest highway undertaking by far (100+ freeway miles)• 1955: Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority introduces yet another freeway plan1.011 Project Evaluation Spring Term 2003Steve M. Alpert Page 27 8Who was Robert Moses? Why did he want the highway system?• Appointed NY head of parks in 1924, Parks Commissioner of NYC and head of TriboroughBridge and Tunnel Authority in 1933• Notable (and hated) for pushing plans through without prior approval• Believed in environment: ensured beautiful parkways, created state parks, responsible for Shea Stadium, UN Building, 1960 World’s Fair• Hated slums, believed subways were waste of money compared to urban beautification9History of the Cross-Bronx• Planned to connect George Washington Bridge with proposed Bronx-Whitestone Bridge– Only east-west connection through Bronx• Anticipated construction issues– Topology of Bronx• Highway goes from blasted trench to viaduct instantly– High real estate values• No more land taken than needed; highway cannot be widened– Population density• Construction proceeded with minimal resident disruption• Initial cost estimate: $17 million (1941)• Became part of planned I-95 in 1946; I-95 approved in 19571011Stages• 1954– “East” (between Bronx River Pkwy and Bruckner Circle)– “West” (between Washington Bridge and Jerome Avenue)• 1961– “Extension” (from Bruckner Circle to Throgs Neck Bridge) – now part of spur I-295 (also known as I-895)• 1962– “Middle” (between east and west)• 1964– Highbridge interchange with I-87, A. Hamilton Bridge• 1972– Bruckner Interchange (I-95 complete)12Problems: Construction• Highway to nowhere– First section is less than a mile long– Western and eastern sections done before middle• Possibility the middle never gets built• Still traffic problems through the center of the Bronx• Accidents– 1959: retaining wall collapses (rain weakened hillside) – 1 died– 1962: crane buckles – 2 died1.011 Project Evaluation Spring Term 2003Steve M. Alpert Page 313Problems: Construction (cont.)• Materials– Unionport Bridge delayed – even with materials, would take several months to complete– Inferior drying method used on Highbridgepavement – had to redo• Existing infrastructure– Tunnels under a subway line (!)– IRT subway station raised to fit highway underneath• How do you keep the trains going?14Problems: Social• Many people displaced along corridor– First contract was for relocating tenants– 1530 families moved in above stretch• 5000 total for highway– $7 million to move people– Neighborhood(s) destroyed permanently15Problems: Political• Moses vs. Bronx Borough Pres. James Lyons– Lyons wanted alignment through Crotona Park• 1-2% of the damage (19 families moved)– Moses threatened to retire • Used argument that no one would approve reroute• Moses would stop construction if Lyons wins– Lyons “lost some 20 million dollars already” for not giving in on Bruckner Expressway• Why so stubborn?– Corruption: friends had shares in bus depot, other property along Crotona route16Why new interchanges?• Highbridge– Washington Bridge is not Interstate-standard• Ends in traffic light• Narrow lanes, no shoulders– Cross-Bronx and Major Deegan must connect•Bruckner– Current traffic circle is inadequate for traffic• Also not freeway standard– Built along with Bruckner Expressway (new source of traffic)17Highbridge Interchange• Initial work: create second tunnel under Port Authority (now approach