The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge is set to undergo a major cable rehabilitation project aimed at keeping the iconic span — and vital link between Brooklyn and Staten Island — in top shape for years to come.

During its monthly meeting on Wednesday, the MTA board approved a $249 million contract to protect the Verrazzano and keep it in a state of good repair for the 220,000 vehicles that cross it each day. 

The centerpiece of the work is a new dehumidification system for the four main suspension cables of the double-decker span, which connects Staten Island to Brooklyn and is the country’s longest suspension bridge. 

Wires inside the cables can suffer from corrosion, which is accelerated by humidity, MTA officials explained. Dehumidification will not only help prevent corrosion but also preserve the current strength of the 60-year-old bridge’s cables.

“Essentially all of those cables, the wires bound up inside those cables, suffer from corrosion over time, and it’s humidity that really accelerates the corrosion,” Jamie Torres-Springer, president of the MTA’s construction and development, said. “So, the goal is to get us back to under 40% humidity within that tightly bound cable, and keep it there.”

He added that the system extends the useful life of the cables. 

“It’s a new system for us, but it’s become a widely accepted method of preventing steel cable corrosion around the world,” he said. 

The MTA is already installing the system on the suspension portion of the RFK Bridge. The goal is to have all four MTA bridges outfitted with the system.

“With the 2025-2029 plan, we will be able to install the system on our two other suspension bridges as well,” Torres-Torres Springer said. 

In total, the MTA operates seven bridges in NYC. Combined with its two tunnels in the Big Apple, the connections handle more than 336 million vehicle crossings each year. 

A ‘cost-effective’ solution

An article in the trade publication Roads & Bridges describes main-cable dehumidification as a “cost-effective” solution for preserving cables and the structures they support.

The MTA contracted with Skanska Koch, Inc., a construction company, to conduct the work, which will include installing an acoustic monitoring system on the bridge’s four main cables. 

The system will track conditions within the cables, associated electrical and communication systems, internal inspection of selected cable panels, replacement of hand ropes and stanchions, and maintenance of the cable dehumidification and acoustic monitoring systems for five years after commissioning.

According to an article in the Staten Island Advance, the cable dehumidification project was discussed last year but put on hold when Gov. Kathy Hochul paused the start of congestion pricing in NYC on June 5, 2024.

Now that the project is revived, work is expected to take about four years to complete.

It is unclear right now when the work will start.

A version of this story first appeared on Brooklyn Paper’s sister site AMNY

If your nostalgia brain hits you with “Welcome to Good Burger, home of the Good Burger, can I take your order?”, this is for you.

Actor Kel Mitchell is teaming up with Bucket Listers to host Kel’s Burger Fest, a brand new food festival devoted to, as the name suggests, burgers. The one-day only event will take over BK Backyard Bar in Williamsburg on Aug. 30 with a lineup of food, games, nostalgia and plenty of surprises.

“This is more than a food festival—it’s a full-on burger bonanza,” said Mitchell. “We’re bringing the energy, the flavor, and the fun together for a truly unforgettable day. Whether you grew up watching my shows or just love a good burger, this is the fest is for you. Can I take your order?”

“Kel has become a dear friend since I collaborated with him back in 2019 on his Good Burger pop-up restaurant in Los Angeles. We’re beyond thrilled to bring this new experience to life with him, there was no better dude to create a nostalgia fueled food summit with,” said Bucket Listers President of Experiences Derek Berry.

Those who attend Kel’s Burger Fest can expect an array of New York’s finest burgers served up alongside patties from across the country, from smashburgers to vegan stacks to unique Instagrammable bites. Guests will be able to enjoy a lineup of live DJ sets, a 90s dance battle, Finish That Song and on-stage Trivia. The event will also feature an arcade game lounge, a vintage flea market, carnival games, rides, and an Orange Soda Fountain (who loves orange soda?) and a chugging contest.

Early Bird tickets start at $25 and will be available exclusively through Bucket Listers. Join the waitlist at bucketlisters.com and be the first to receive notification of tickets going on sale.

For full event details and updates, follow along on Instagram at @bucketlisters, @KelsBurgerFest, and @iamkelmitchell.

Details

What: Kel’s Burger Fest

Where: BK Backyard Bar, 151 Banker St., Brooklyn

When: Saturday, Aug. 30

Price: Early bird tickets start at $25, waitlist is now open