NYC Speeds Up Bridge Project, Saves Millions

Quick Smiles:

• Halmar International’s engineering innovation sped up NYC’s rail replacement by 51 months.
• A record-breaking hydraulic gantry allowed trains to keep running during construction.
• Crews worked $93 million under budget while improving public transit reliability.

New York City has dramatically upgraded a 132-year-old railway along Park Avenue, embracing inventive methods that have brought joy to commuters and relief to taxpayers.

This project, known as the Park Avenue Viaduct, carries about 750 Metro-North trains into Grand Central Station each day, and its transformation is happening well ahead of schedule.

Halmar International, supported by the Metropolitan Transport Authority, used a remarkable hydraulic gantry system to remove the old structure and install modern, prefabricated bridge elements in record time.

The strategy allowed workers to replace sections over 19 weekends, installing more than 8,000 feet of new track while keeping two of four lines in service so most trains could keep running.

By coordinating with MiJack—the gantry manufacturer—Halmar secured the largest gantry ever built for the task, which perched above the bridge and operated with precision even in busy city surroundings.

Crews efficiently cut away dated concrete in large pieces, swiftly swapped them out for new segments, and even finished the first phase nearly two years early.

“The ability to keep trains moving was a game-changer,” a project manager remarked, highlighting how city life stayed on track even amid major improvements.

This current wave of upgrades wraps up next April, ushering in a smoother, safer journey for countless New Yorkers.

For more inspiring engineering feats, be sure to check out our next edition!

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