Ice hazard

Suspension bridges in the New York area have been closed by ice hazards. Major toll bridges including the MTA’s Throg’s Neck, Whitestone and Verrazano and the Port Authority’s Geo Washington were heavily hit by icicles following the recent late winter storm. The bridges were subject to varying degrees of closure to protect motorists from potentially deadly chunks of ice falling from the cables Most of the threatening ice formed on the nearer horizontal suspension cables but the hangers also gathered ice and in some places icicles hung down like threatening daggers. At the Triborough Authority’s (MTA B&T) Verrazano Bridge over New York harbor the claim was made that one icicle 50' (15m) in length formed.

Fortunately ice-fall danger hours start around 10am when the air temperatures rise so most of the bridges were able to be kept open for the morning rush hour. The doubledeck bridges (Geo Washington and Verrazano) were able to keep their lower decks in operation. Still there were massive backups.

The de-icing procedure is to send a bunch of staff guys up equipped with wooden bats to bash the ice off the top of the suspension cables. Then they attack ice on the hangers attempting to get them vibrating and shedding ice.