PORT IMPERIAL FERRY TERMINAL

Project Highlights / Scope of Work

• Fabricated and erected canopies, grated walkways and decorative railings on floating gangways at newly constructed terminal
• Fabricated and erected three staircases, windscreen supports, rooftop louver supports and miscellaneous support steel throughout facility
• Assembled full stairway in-house and delivered to site in one piece for installation
• Designed and constructed custom lifting davit for barge work
• Performed work in two-phases:land-based and marine base

Challenges

• Hazards associated with marine-based work
• Maintain Owner’s strict schedule

Project Description

The Port Imperial Ferry serves both New Jersey Transit and New York Waterway customers.  Its’ ferries carry daily commuters from Weehawken, NJ to Midtown Manhattan with departures every 20 minutes.  This new terminal would provide improved service and modern amenities for their patrons.

The project was split into two segments - one in the terminal building (on land) and one on the floating platforms / gangways (over water) leading to the ferries.  Inside the terminal, miscellaneous steel was fabricated and erected including curtain wall supports, rooftop louver supports and three staircases.  Two of the staircases were hanging stairs constructed with central landings and without lower support posts.  The third long staircase was fabricated in one continuous run and delivered to the site as a single piece.  Critical planning and specialized rigging was required to complete this immense installation.

The exterior work proved even more challenging since much of it was performed from barges in the Hudson River.  Canopies, grated walkways, decorative railings and galvanized tube steel window frames were fabricated in our shop and delivered to the site where they were placed on barges for transport to the moored and floating platforms.  A custom lifting davit was designed and constructed to facilitate the transfer of materials from the barges to the platforms.  All our erection work was performed from the barges.

This busy water taxi service now has a modern, accessible terminal as its base of operations.