Governor Hochul Announces Early Completion of Major Structural Replacement of Park Avenue Viaduct; Project Nearly $200 Million Under Budget

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the completion of major structural replacement work on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) Park Avenue Viaduct, 60 months ahead of schedule and $195 million under budget. Since October 2023, crews have replaced 196 bridge structures and more than 12,600 feet of railroad over 28 weekends without delaying a single train. The $765 million project fortifies the long-term reliability and resiliency of the critical corridor that carries 98 percent of all Metro-North Railroad service and all trains traveling into and out of Grand Central Terminal.

“This is what it looks like when government delivers: a major project to modernize essential infrastructure completed years ahead of schedule and hundreds of millions of dollars under budget, all without impacting service,” Governor Hochul said. “The Park Avenue Viaduct is critical, and by replacing infrastructure dating back to the Gilded Age, hundreds of thousands of Metro-North riders will now benefit from a smoother and more reliable ride.”

The 133-year-old Park Avenue Viaduct carries four Metro-North tracks above Park Avenue from the Park Avenue Tunnel at East 97th Street to the Harlem River, supporting approximately 750 trains and 260,000 passengers each day through one of New York City’s most constrained rail corridors. With nearly half of the viaduct’s girders dating to the 1890s, the MTA launched the project to reconstruct critical portions of the 1.8-mile structure between East 110th Street and the Harlem River Lift Bridge, including the replacement of aging sections between East 115th Street and East 132nd Street, while maintaining full Metro-North service.

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, “This project is the gold standard for major infrastructure work — modernize what matters most, without making riders suffer through disrupted service. The Park Avenue Viaduct may not be glamorous, but its continued deterioration was a real threat to the entire Metro-North system.”

MTA Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer said, “The Park Avenue Viaduct replacement is proof that modernization doesn’t have to come at the expense of great service. Using creative design and construction innovations, this project is a hallmark example of how the MTA is delivering major upgrades across the system better, faster, and cheaper — and all while keeping New Yorkers moving.”

Metro-North Railroad President Justin Vonashek said, “This project touches nearly every Metro-North customer and completing structural work of this scale without delaying a single train is an extraordinary achievement. The modernized viaduct will remain a central artery of Metro-North’s operations, supporting safe, reliable service to and from Grand Central Terminal for decades to come.”

The structural replacement was completed in two phases. Phase 1, spanning East 115th Street to East 123rd Street, began in October 2023 and was completed 21 months ahead of schedule in October 2025. Phase 2, spanning East 127th Street to East 132nd Street, began in May 2024, with the final viaduct replacement completed during the weekend of July 25-26 — 60 months ahead of schedule. With the replacement of the structure complete, the remaining work, including track replacement, cable installation and the removal of temporary fencing and girders, is expected to be completed by September 2027.

Project Innovations Deliver Work Better, Faster and Cheaper

To maintain regularly scheduled train service and accelerate construction, the MTA used multiple custom-designed gantry systems to lift and precisely place prefabricated bridge units weighing nearly 190,000 pounds each. Unlike traditional crane operations, the gantries allowed crews to install the units during tightly coordinated weekend work windows without delaying service.

The project also used an intertrack containment system to create enclosed work zones between active tracks, allowing construction to proceed safely while trains continued operating on adjacent tracks. The approach reduced the need for flagging personnel, lowering project costs and providing a model for performing major construction in other narrow, active rail corridors.

Bridge components were prefabricated and assembled off-site, reducing the amount of work performed on the viaduct, limiting workers’ exposure to a high-risk environment and creating more predictable weekend schedules. This allowed replacements to take place seamlessly over 48-hour weekend work windows.

Modernizing the Grand Central Artery

Metro-North is the second most heavily traveled commuter railroad in the country. As ridership and demand grow, major structures serving the vast majority of Metro-North customers — including the Grand Central Terminal train shed, Park Avenue Tunnel and Park Avenue Viaduct — are more than 100 years old and in need of replacement. Together, these three structures make up the Grand Central Artery. To provide safer, more reliable and more resilient service for generations to come, the MTA is making major investments to modernize this critical infrastructure. Between updates along Park Avenue and the replacement of the Grand Central Terminal train shed, the MTA is making $2.9 Billion in capital investments to improve Metro-North service for generations to come.

State Senator Jeremy Cooney said, “As the second most heavily traveled commuter railroad in the nation, maintaining a strong Metro-North is vital to New York’s transportation network. The completion of the Park Avenue Viaduct is a major victory for the hundreds of thousands who rely on its service each day, delivered ahead of schedule and under budget. I commend the Metro Transportation Authority for delivering these results and am grateful for Governor Hochul’s continued investments to modernize New York's infrastructure.”

Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal said, “I applaud Governor Hochul and the MTA for delivering a modernized, structurally sound, and refurbished Park Avenue Viaduct ahead of schedule and nearly $200 million under budget. This is a monumental win for Manhattan, safeguarding the economic vitality of the entire Metro-North network for the more than 233,000 daily commuters who rely on it to get to work. Now comes the next opportunity: the Park Avenue Train Shed renovation is our chance to transform Park Avenue into a marquee boulevard built for people, not cars. Congratulations to Governor Hochul, MTA Chair Janno Lieber, MTA Construction & Development Chair Jamie Torres-Springer, and Metro-North Railroad President Justin Vonashek on this achievement. Let's keep building and investing in the modern, rapid, and reliable transit system New Yorkers deserve."

New York City Council Majority Leader Shaun Abreu said, “The Park Avenue Viaduct is a piece of critical infrastructure that hundreds of thousands of transit riders use daily to get to work, school, and everywhere in between. Governor Hochul has delivered its replacement ahead of schedule and significantly under budget, proving that we can get the big projects done that New Yorkers need. I’m thankful for her commitment to making the infrastructure upgrades that will serve our city for years to come and strengthen the reliable service so many depend on.”

New York City Council Member Yusef Salaam said, “The completion of the Park Avenue Viaduct project years ahead of schedule and under budget is a tremendous achievement and a testament to what is possible when we embrace innovation in infrastructure. The MTA has demonstrated that with creative construction methods and thoughtful planning, we can modernize critical transit assets while minimizing disruptions for riders. As the MTA applies these same innovative approaches to transformative projects like the Second Avenue Subway extension, we must also ensure that local hiring remains a central part of that strategy. Building world-class infrastructure should also mean creating pathways to good-paying jobs for the communities where this work is taking place. The true measure of success won't only be how quickly or efficiently these projects are completed, but whether they deliver lasting economic opportunities for local residents alongside improved transit. By pairing innovation with a strong commitment to local hiring, we can build a transportation system that strengthens both our infrastructure and our communities.”