Roosevelt Ave Bridge
Design & Construction Contract No. 2
STARTED
Summer 2024
Lower Río Piedras
Design & Construction Contract No. 3
Summer 2026
We are making great strides on site! Here is what our crews have been up to:
Keeping our workforce safe and protecting Puerto Rico's beautiful wildlife is our top priority.
What to Expect This Summer
We are coordinating closely with local utility companies to avoid surprises. If we need to temporarily pause a utility service, we will let you know well in advance.
Thank you for your patience as we build a more resilient infrastructure for Puerto Rico!
Construction on the Roosevelt Avenue Bridge project is ongoing. Current activities include:
During this time, temporary lane closures may occur on Roosevelt Avenue. To protect the safety of workers and pedestrians, please be aware of changes in traffic patterns.
Construction is ongoing at the Roosevelt Avenue Bridge. No significant traffic interruptions are expected during this time. This initial construction phase involves coordination for utility replacements such as water, telecommunications, and electricity. It also includes preliminary ground preparation for future works. Construction related activities that may impact traffic can be expected to begin in late Summer 2025.
The USACE Caribbean District made history in Puerto Rico’s timber industry by becoming the first federal agency to incorporate responsible tree disposal management into its construction contracts. As part of the Roosevelt Bridge Project, the District needed to remove several large trees to prepare for the demolition of the existing bridge. Instead of sending the trees to a materials management site, USACE partnered with Puerto Rico Hardwoods Inc. to repurpose the wood into boards that can be used to build custom furniture, countertops, and other works of art. This partnership allowed USACE to repurpose wood, reduce waste, and promote the responsible management of its construction project.
On May 12, 2026, USACE met with the community members of Amigos de Puerto Nuevo por la Cuenca and Alianza por la Cuenca de Rio Piedras to review their concerns regarding the construction plans for the Lower Río Piedras (Contract 3) phase of the Río Puerto Nuevo Flood Risk Management Project. A question-and-answer session from the meeting was recorded to share with all stakeholders.
USACE awarded a $1.078 billion contract to Ferrovial Construcción PR, LLC, to widen and deepen the most critical section of the existing channelized Río Piedras beginning at the José de Diego Bridge, crossing the Roosevelt Avenue Bridge, and ending near Luis Muñoz Marín Park. This phase will improve conveyance capacity and reduce flood risk to life and property for surrounding neighborhoods, schools, businesses, and transportation corridors.
The Roosevelt Avenue Bridge is an existing six-lane, three-span bridge that crosses the Río Piedras just north of the completed portion of the project. During major rain events, debris becomes clogged under the two bridge piers and the Río Piedras overtops and floods the road. This flooding is dangerous to pedestrians and drivers and halts the flow of traffic between Guaynabo and Hato Rey.
Work on the lower Río Piedras includes deepening and widening the lower portion of the Río Piedras. The river in this phase flows downstream from Luis Muñoz Marín Park and past the Puerto Nuevo neighborhood and the Nemesio Canales Residential Community where the roads, houses, and businesses have a history of flooding during significant rain events. Deepening and widening the river in this area will significantly reduce the risk of flooding to roads and homes near the river.
The existing Roosevelt Avenue Bridge will be replaced with a two-span bridge that will match the new width of the Río Piedras, essentially doubling it in width. Since debris is easily trapped by the two piers holding the existing bridge up, the new bridge will be built with only one pier which will allow for debris to pass downstream during storms. The new bridge will also meet the latest seismic requirements to allow it to withstand significant earthquakes. Additionally, water and electrical utilities will be upgraded and relocated, and new stormwater inlets will allow for drainage through the wall of the channel at the bridge.
The river in this portion of the project will be widened from approximately 80 feet to over 160 feet. It will also be deepened to allow water to flow downstream to the Río Puerto Nuevo through the completed section of the project.
The existing river bottom, which is natural, will be maintained. The new channel walls, which will be reinforced with 100 feet deep pile driven shafts will protect the riverbank against continued erosion. Given the channel's closeness to homes and businesses, the six feet wide concrete walls will protect both people and buildings from risk of slope failure.