Goethals Bridge Replacement Program

Since 1928, the Goethals Bridge has played an integral role in regional mobility. Spanning the Arthur Kill River, it provides critical connection to the residential communities of Elizabeth, New Jersey and Staten Island, New York. That connection has aided economic growth, too. Close proximity to ports and other regional facilities means the bridge carries a high volume of truck traffic and is thus a vital artery for the movement of goods.  

A public-private partnership project

After nearly eight decades of service from the bridge, The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey looked to HNTB to study the possibility of a full replacement.  

HNTB led the initial concept development, cost estimating, preliminary design and constructability engineering for the Goethals project. The firm’s work also included providing technical support for the concurrent environmental impact statement process.  

Later, when The Authority determined that it would complete the replacement bridge project under a public-private partnership (P3) agreement — the first P3 transportation infrastructure project in the Northeast — HNTB became The Authority's technical advisor and full-time, project-management staff extension. In these roles, the firm provided P3 procurement advising and full technical oversight as well as PMC services throughout the design, construction and closeout of the project.  

Improving safety, mobility and opportunity   

Now completed, the new Goethals Bridge is ensured to serve the region for generations to come. A dual-span, cable-stayed bridge, each alignment consists of three 12-foot lanes, a 12-foot right shoulder and a 5-foot left shoulder.   

The replacement bridge is better serving additional modes of transportation as well. The northern structure includes a 10-foot shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists, and the combined bridges are also designed to support mass transit, such as light rail or dedicated bus lanes, if ever needed in the future.  

The Goethals Bridge replacement still provides the essential connectivity of its original, but with a design that vastly improves safety and mobility, it will have resounding effects on the surrounding communities and the regional economy for decades to come.