Skanska Building Livingston Avenue Bridge

Livingston Avenue Bridge rendering

Skanska

ALBANY, N.Y. - Skanska is building the Livingston Avenue Bridge on land in Albany.

The $635 million project seeks to rebuild the original 1866 swing bridge that was previously replaced in 1902. Located in Albany over the Hudson River, the bridge is owned by CSX and operated by Amtrak and carries 12-15 trains daily. It does not meet the necessary standards related to load, speed, and heigh clearance, forcing delays of freight and passenger movement.

The team of Skanska Koch LAB JV (SKJV) and designer HNTB will work to design and build the bridge. In July 2024, Skanska was awarded a contract by the NYSDOT to carry out the replacement, which is taking place within 15 feet of the original bridge. In addition to the replacement of the bridge, crews will ad a movable two-track vertical lift railroad bridge over the river. As part of the contract, crews will install railroad signals, electrical infrastructure, add bridge and navigation lighting, and realign and improve the WYE tracks east of the bridge.

At the time, Skanska’s East Coast civil operations executive vice president Michael Viggiano said, “We are honored to have the opportunity to replace and modernize the Livingston Avenue Bridge. . . These critical infrastructure improvements are greatly needed across the Northeast and beyond. They are of paramount importance to boost the operational efficiency of this vital railway link and creating a more seamless passenger experience.”

Challenges

One such challenge of the bridge construction is the moratorium that takes place between March 1 and October 1. During this time, crews cannot disturb sediment “because of the spawning Atlantic sturgeon, which is considered an endangered species.”

Another challenge lies in access by marine traffic. If crews construct the bridge using traditional methods, this would necessitate workers and equipment to work from barges and from a bridge deck, according to the report.

Method

To help combat these challenges, Skanska is drawing from its work on the Portal North Bridge construction. Saving around 12 months of work, planners will assemble truss sections of the bridge on land at Port of Coeymans Marine Terminal. These will then be taken via barge 10 miles upriver before “being set in place on the new foundations using the tide and hydraulic jacks.”

As of reporting, Skanska has completed roughly 20% of the work. Over the next few years, crews will finish the temporary work platforms, piers, and trestles before starting foundation work. Additionally, they will work to complete the concrete bridge piers, install towers and counterweights for the lift truss before completing the trusses that will be lifted into place. When it comes time to lift the 4,000,000-lb. lift span, Skanska will reportedly install machinery and control systems.

Once the bridge replacement is completed, Skanska will also restore the wooded area adjacent to the bridge for cyclists and pedestrians. Construction is expected to be completed in 2028.