New York Construction Report staff writer
Phase 1 of the Park Avenue Viaduct Replacement Project in East Harlem has reached a major milestone with the completion of 128 bridge installations, replacing 8,240 feet of track on the 132-year-old elevated structure, all without disrupting Metro-North service.
The work, led by Halmar International, replaced the full substructure and superstructure from East 115th Street to East 123rd Street, including track, power, communications, and signal systems. Using an innovative moveable gantry system proposed by Halmar during the project’s Design-Build procurement, crews were able to install prefabricated sections of the concrete and steel bridge deck over 19 weekends since June 2024 while maintaining service on the remaining tracks.
“This is a banner day for the new MTA: Delivering a long-overdue infrastructure upgrade ahead of schedule, under budget, and without disrupting riders,” said MTA Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer. “Thanks to strong leadership, innovative planning, and smart delivery, we’ve replaced Phase 1 of the Park Avenue Viaduct better, faster and cheaper, and we’re just getting started.”
The Park Avenue Viaduct carries four Metro-North tracks and 98 percent of all trains to Manhattan from the Bronx, Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess counties, and Connecticut. The reconstruction ensures structural integrity and uninterrupted service for hundreds of thousands of daily riders.
Construction proceeded by first building new structural supports under the existing viaduct. Sections of the old structure were removed using the moveable gantry, and prefabricated bridge units weighing 190,000 pounds each were installed and connected to the new supports. Track and systems were integrated to allow seamless restoration of four-track service each Monday morning.
Phase 1 is expected to reach substantial completion in April 2026, while Phase 2, extending from East 127th Street to mid-block between East 131st and East 132nd streets, is on track for September 2027 completion.
As part of the project, a permanent art installation, Harlem Melodic Moments by Jorge Luis Rodríguez, was installed over 116th Street. The artwork depicts the music of Harlem and El Barrio through concentric interlocking rings and large medallions highlighting Salsa, Bolero, Latin Jazz, Jazz, Blues, Gospel, Be-Bop, Hip-Hop, and Rap. The installation spans over 1,150 square feet across both sides of the rehabilitated viaduct.
Phase 1 of the project cost $590 million, including $500.9 million in federal funding. The work is part of a broader effort to modernize the Grand Central Artery, which includes the Grand Central Terminal train shed and Park Avenue Tunnel, critical components for maintaining reliable Metro-North service.
“Ensuring the structural integrity and safety of the viaduct is critical to keep running safe and reliable service to and from Grand Central Terminal,” said Metro-North Railroad President Justin Vonashek.
The reconstruction ensures continued safety and reliability, supporting Metro-North’s on-time performance of 97.9 percent and a service-delivered rate of 99.9 percent over the past 12 months.
