Official Site of The State of New Jersey

History and Background

The construction of the Pulaski Skyway began as part of a larger 13 mile Route 1&9 Extension project in the 1920s. Its design improved traffic flow from Newark to Jersey City and reduced transportation costs. The Pulaski Skyway is included in the National Register of Historic Places because of its age, length and unique design features.

Designed by New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Engineer Sigvald Johannesson, it was named for General Casimir Pulaski, the Polish-born hero of the American Revolutionary War, on the anniversary of Pulaski's death. Pulaski, known as the "Father of the American Cavalry," formed an independent cavalry called the Pulaski Legion and fought in Haddonfield, Little Egg Harbor and New Jersey Osborn's Island. He was mortally wounded in a battle and died in 1779 at age 31.

Looking northwest, the Pulaski Skyway
rises over the Passaic River.

It is a vital feature of the northern New Jersey transportation network, linking Jersey City, South Kearny and Newark. The ninety year old, elevated bridge is composed of a series of different types of structures that carry Route 1&9 over the Hackensack and Passaic Rivers, the New Jersey Turnpike, several railroads and industrial facilities. It serves as an express link for car and bus traffic to and from New York City and destinations farther north on Route 1&9, carrying 74,000 vehicles a day.

The Pulaski Skyway is a 3.5-mile long steel structure, with two main river-crossing spans of 550 feet in length. Each of these spans is a cantilevered Pratt truss. The typical roadway section of the Pulaski Skyway consists of four 11-foot lanes, two in each direction, with no shoulders. A center barrier prevents cross-over collisions, and two-foot wide safety walks extend along both outer lanes. Pedestrians are not allowed on the Pulaski Skyway.

The Skyway rises high above the Meadowlands, with the spans over the rivers providing ships with 135 feet of high tide clearance. It passes over an industrial area in Kearny, Hudson County, on an elevated causeway and crosses the New Jersey Turnpike in Newark, Essex County. Access ramps provide connections from the Pulaski Skyway and local streets in Jersey City, Kearny, and Newark.

Several alterations to the original structure have been made over the years, including the addition of new ramps to and from South Kearny. The last rehabilitation of the Pulaski Skyway was performed in 1984.

The structure is in need of major repairs due to deterioration that has occurred over time.

Current / Future Contracts

Contracts 6A & 6B

Rehabilitative work to be performed under Contracts 6A & 6B includes:

• Structural steel truss repairs and strengthening in spans 64 through 81
• Replacement of piers P64 to P75
• Rocker bent replacement
• Full blast cleaning and repainting of the truss at Spans 64 through 81 and at Rocker Bearings

Contract 8B

Rehabilitative work to be performed under Contract 8B includes:

• Structural steel truss repairs and strengthening in spans 44 through 56
• Rehabilitation of piers P44 to P55
• Rocker bent replacement Spans 45 to 55
• Full blast cleaning and repainting of the truss
• Full replacement of the Broadway Ramp Structure and Ramp
• Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) work
• Streetscape improvements on Route 139 Upper including the construction of two new parks
• Full reconstruction of Route 1&9T between Hackensack River Bridge and Communipaw/Route 440 Intersection

Contract 8C

Rehabilitative work to be performed under Contract 8C includes:

• Structural steel truss repairs and strengthening in spans 57 through 63
• Replacement and/or Rehabilitation of piers P57 to P63
• Rocker bent replacement Spans 57 to 63
• Full blast cleaning and repainting of the truss

Contract 9A

Rehabilitative work to be performed under Contract 9A includes:

• Structural steel truss repairs and strengthening in spans 77 through 81, 87 through 91, and 94 through 97
• Full blast cleaning and repainting of the trusses
• Rehabilitation of Piers 105 and 98

Contract 9B

Rehabilitative work to be performed under Contract 9B includes:

• Structural steel truss repairs and strengthening in Spans 92 and 93
• Rehabilitation and/or Replacement of piers P78 to P98
• Rocker bent replacement Spans to Spans 97 through 87
• Full blast cleaning and repainting of the truss at rocker bearings and Spans 92 & 93

Pulaski Skyway East Abutment/Route 139 Conrail Viaduct & JFK Blvd over Route 139

Rehabilitative work to be performed under these projects includes:

• Structural steel repairs and strengthening in Spans A1 thru A0
• Reconstruction of East Abutment, wingwalls, and ramps
• Replacement of Route 139 Conrail Viaduct
• Replacement of JFK Blvd over Route 139
• Sign Structures
• Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) work

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