Median Barrier System Adds to Lifespan of Historic Pulaski Skyway in NY

With the opening of bi-directional traffic on June 30, 2018, the Pulaski Skyway was finally ready for another 75+ years of busy use.

The Skyway carries US Routes 1&9 between Newarkand Jersey City, NJ, and is a connection for the Holland Tunnel to Lower Manhattan. The 3.5-mile corridor was virtually re-built from the inside-out using state-of-the-art engineering and materials, while striving to maintain its place on the National Register of Historic Places. One life-extending technology used was the Valentine and Company’s F350 Median Barrier System which saved over 80% of the static weight versus traditional concrete barriers. Weight savings like this translates into effective years of life in bridge rehabilitation – a big deal in a busy transportation corridor like the NYCMetro Area.

With the opening of bi-directional traffic on June 30, 2018, the Pulaski Skyway was finally ready for another 75+ years of busy use. The Skyway carries US Routes 1&9 between Newarkand Jersey City, NJ, and is a connection for the Holland Tunnel to Lower Manhattan. The 3.5-mile corridor was virtually re-built from the inside-out using state-of-the-art engineering and materials, while striving to maintain its place on the National Register of Historic Places. One life-extending technology used was the Valentine and Company’s F350 Median Barrier System which saved over 80% of the static weight versus traditional concrete barriers. Weight savings like this translates into effective years of life in bridge rehabilitation – a big deal in a busy transportation corridor like the NYCMetro Area.

The Valentine F350 Barrier System is a unique alternative to the ubiquitous concrete barrier. The double-side barrier uses only 24″ of width while the single-sided parapet barrier uses 15″, saving valuable deck space on older bridges. The Barrier System allow the deck designers to place anchors and posts wherever the structure is best suited to carry the load. Its beautiful aluminum finish withstands weathering with little to no maintenance for decades, similar to other aluminum roadway components like bridge railings, light posts and sign trusses.  Crash safety performance meets the NCHRP Report 350 Test Level 4 requirements due to its “F” Shape and truss-core design. And, the system can be efficiently erected on-site by local trades.  Should future damage result from an accident, sections can be replaced quickly, again by a local workforce – keeping downtime to a minimum!

With all these advantages and the game-changing static load weight reduction adding years to the life of rehabilitated bridges, the Valentine F350 Barrier System is the choice to make America’s bridges great again!

Category: General Update, News