5. The Approval Process for the New Bridge Only Took 10 Months

The seriousness of the bridge’s deteriorating condition prompted the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council to apply for federal funding in August 2012. The overwhelming safety concerns, especially after the 2007 collapse of Minnesota’s I-35W Mississippi River bridge, led the US Department of Transportation to fast-track the project proposal in an approval process that took 10 months versus the multi-year process traditionally taken.