New span at Kosciuszko Bridge to open to drivers

NEW YORK (AP) - The first span of a project to replace the Kosciuszko Bridge is opening to New York City drivers.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday said the first of two new spans will open to traffic between Brooklyn and Queens on April 27. Traffic will go in both directions until the construction of the second span is complete, expected to be early 2020. Sections of the old bridge are scheduled to be demolished this summer.

Cuomo said the opening would be marked with a light show, using LED lights installed on the span that can change color.

The bridge opened in 1939. The new bridge would be used by up to 200,000 commuters per day.

---

"The Empire State is undertaking the most ambitious infrastructure program in the nation, and the new Kosciuszko Bridge will be an iconic New York structure for generations to come," Gov. Cuomo said in a statement. "The new bridge - the first major New York City Bridge to open in more than 50 years - will bring much-needed relief to commuters and be a spectacular addition to the New York City skyline. It is a vibrant symbol of how the State is not just talking about moving vital infrastructure projects forward, but actually getting them done and restoring New York’s tradition of excellence."