MARINERS HARBOR — People around the city and beyond can keep tabs on the Bayonne Bridge reconstruction without leaving their home.
The Port Authority set up a 24-hour webcam of the bridge for those who want to watch workers raise and widen the roadway of the 82-year-old bridge, which connects Staten Island to New Jersey.
"We wanted to keep the community informed and engaged on a unique construction project," said Chris Valens, spokesman for the Port Authority.
The camera, which went live on the Port Authority's website last Thursday, updates with a new image every 15 minutes and lets visitors zoom in and move around the panoramic pictures. Visitors can also check out archived shots dating back to Aug. 28.
The new raised roadway for the Bayonne Bridge will allow larger container ships to pass underneath. Crews will also widen the lanes and shoulders of the bridge and create a 12-foot bicycle and pedestrian path, allowing the bridge to accommodate public transportation options in the future, according to the Port Authority.
The project is currently in the pre-construction phase, with full construction starting later in the year, Valens said.
The $1.29 billion project is scheduled to finish in 2017.
