Department of Transportation

Project Details

pulaski skyway graphic

In addition to replacing the 3.5 mile Pulaski Skyway deck, the project includes rehabilitating the ramps, steel superstructure and substructure; strengthening the structure against seismic events; improving drainage and lighting; and repainting the structure.

Making the Pulaski Skyway stronger and better.

In an effort to minimize inconvenience to motorists, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) considered several options for reconstructing the four Pulaski Skyway travel lanes before choosing to rebuild two lanes at a time. This approach promotes safety, maintains the flow of the southbound Pulaski Skyway traffic during construction, and shaves years from the time it would take to rebuild all four lanes under other construction staging options.

The project is being carried out by way of ten contracts and is expected to be completed in 2020.

Contract 1
Began in 2012

Encasement removal for the eastern strongs of the Pulaski Skyway
Concrete encasement removal, cleaning and painting of the newly exposed steel from the south side of the Tonnele Circle to Newark Avenue is underway. This work is being done to determine the condition of the steel.

Contract 1 was awarded on May 1, 2012 for $12 million to Kiska Construction Inc.

BackgroundContract 2
Began September 2013

Rehabilitation of the Route 139 Hoboken and Conrail Viaducts

Hoboken Viaduct
The Hoboken Viaduct is an elevated section of Hoboken Avenue. This elevated section carries Route 139 Upper Roadway traffic from approximately John F. Kennedy Boulevard near the eastern end of the Pulaski Skyway to Palisade Avenue. The Hoboken Viaduct is positioned above the Lower Roadway of Route 139 and intersects with numerous Jersey City streets, providing access to local destinations.

The Hoboken Viaduct provides motorists with two eastbound and two westbound travel lanes. One side of the viaduct is supported by concrete columns, while the other side is supported by a concrete retaining wall.

The viaduct requires extensive rehabilitation. Work includes the construction of a temporary roadway to serve as a detour for traffic, installation of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) cameras, new lighting and traffic signals. Structural work will:

  • Replace columns, bearings, stringers, floorbeams and deck
  • Temporarily support cross street utilities where possible and replace floorbeams to minimize utility relocations
  • Realign the east end of the upper roadway between Baldwin Avenue and Palisade Avenue to align it with the ramp that carries traffic east
  • Replace balustrades with solid barriers designed to complement the historic nature of the structure
  • Repair cracks and spall along the lower roadway

Conrail Viaduct
The Conrail Viaduct is a short segment of Route 139 located between John F. Kennedy Boulevard and Collard Street. It connects Tonnele Circle and the Pulaski Skyway to the Lower Roadway beneath the Hoboken Viaduct. The Conrail Viaduct consists of a truss bridge over the Bergen Cut and a section of roadway built on short columns.

The following work will be done:

  • Replace the roadway deck
  • Replace bridge bearings
  • Repair truss and replace rivets
  • Remove concrete encasement from bridge truss members, clean and paint

This work will result in traffic impacts primarily in Jersey City. Work under this contract is anticipated to be completed in 2017.

Additional details are available on the Contract 2 web page.

Contract 2 was awarded on June 11, 2013 for $104 million to Schiavone Construction Company LLC.

Contract 3 - Began July 2013
Contract 4 - Began July 2014

Deck replacement - northbound and southbound
Contracts 3 and 4 involve replacing the entire Pulaski Skyway bridge deck, during which time there will be no northbound travel, toward Jersey City. Work on Contract 3 began in July 2013, with the northbound lanes closed to traffic starting on April 12, 2014. Work on Contract 4 began in July 2014.

Contract 3 was awarded on May 13, 2013 for $126 million to CCA Civil Inc.

Contract 4 was awarded on April 11, 2014 for $210 million to CCA Civil Inc./Diadone Electric, A Joint Venture.

Contract 5 - Begins April 2018
Full rehabilitation of the Kearny ramp
The ramps is extensively deteriorated and require deck replacement; superstructure and substructure rehabilitation, strengthening and seismic retrofitting.

Work on Contract 5 began April 1 2018. Contract 5 was awarded on June 6, 2017 for $56 Million to the Joint Venture of Ferriera, Tutor-Perini.

Contract 6

Rehabilitative work to be performed under Contract 6 includes
  • New drilled shaft and micro-pile foundations surrounding the old pier caissons (isolated and left in place) and new pier shells encapsulating the existing pier columns (left in place) to support the steel truss (Piers 62 - 77).
  • Structural steel repairs/ replacement of all steel truss members exhibiting severe pack rust and section losses.
  • Rehabilitation of existing rocker bents which are frozen against thermal response due to accumulation of pack rust.
  • Incorporate a new pier protection system as part of the design of the new foundations for the Hackensack River piers to protect marine traffic.
Contract 7 - Began December 2017

Steel repairs
Rehabilitation of the substructure and superstructure, strengthening and seismic retrofitting from the west abutment to Pier 98, in Newark, Essex County; from Pier 45 to Pier A0, in Jersey City, Hudson County; and the Newark ramp in Newark, Essex County.

Work on Contract 7 began on December 11, 2017. Contract 7 was awarded on October 23, 2017 for $81 Million to the Union Paving and Construction Inc..

Roadway Improvements
Complete resurfacing of both local and express of Route 1&9 Northbound between South of Delancy Street to the Skyway and southbound between the Skyway and south of Wilson Avenue. The Wilson Ave, Stockton Street intersection will be upgraded with new traffic signals and the Ramps to & from Route 1 &9 will be resurfaced.

Contracts 8 and 9

Seismic retrofits substructure repairs
Rehabilitation of the superstructure and substructure from Pier 79 to 98, which includes the main strong over the Passaic River, strengthening and seismic retrofitting from Pier 45 to 61.

Contract 8 will rehabilitate and strengthen the steel truss superstructure and concrete pier substructure to meet current design loads and extend service life. This Contract covers the structure from Pier 44 to Pier 61. Some of the piers are located in the capped portion of a landfill. The following summarizes the primary improvements in this Section of the Skyway:

  • Replace pier columns and bearings to restore function and meet current loading demands while preserving the existing foundations.
  • Construct comprehensive repair and replacement of truss chord elements that exhibit severe corrosion, section loss and pack rust.
  • Modify/ replace all the truss system expansion bents which have seized due to extensive corrosion to restore function.
  • Rehabilitate the Broadway Ramp structure which exhibits similar conditions to those on the main portion of the Skyway.

Rehabilitative work to be performed under Contract 9 includes
  • New drilled shaft and micropile foundations surrounding the old pier caissons (isolated and left in place) and new pier shells encapsulating the existing pier columns (left in place) to support the steel truss (Piers 78 – 92). Remaining short pier columns (93-98) will be rebuilt in their entirety.
  • Structural steel repairs/ replacement of all steel truss members exhibiting severe pack rust and section losses.
  • Rehabilitation of existing rocker bents which are frozen against thermal response due to accumulation of pack rust.
  • Incorporate a new pier protection system as part of the design of the new foundations for the Passaic River piers to protect marine traffic.
Contract 10
Painting the steel structure





Last updated date: November 18, 2020 3:10 PM