Kosciuszko Bridge To Be Blown Up

GREENPOINT, BROOKLYN — Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in an interview on Tuesday that he plans to blow up the old Kosciuszko Bridge to expedite construction of the new one. The explosion is supposed to speed up the construction of the new bridge by seven to nine months, the governor said.

The $555 million first phase of the new bridge's construction is almost finished, and in April, the plan is to reroute traffic to the new part of the bridge. In the summer, the abandoned old bridge will be destroyed, Cuomo said.

"Think of it from the commuter’s point of view," the governor said. "Every day, every hour matters. So let’s find out a way to accelerate it, get it done."

The explosive news was first reported by CBS2.

The New Kosciuszko Bridge is expected to be completed in 2020, and it will feature two spans, one handling northbound traffic, and the other handling southbound. The old bridge, at 78 years old, is notorious for its traffic jams. The new bridge is also planned to feature new LED lighting, which will change colors on special occasions.

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