The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has released preliminary drawings for a new Goethals Bridge to a cable-stayed design.

The current Goethals Bridge needs major rehabilitation and frequently causes congestion and so it has been decided to build a replacement.

The new, wider bridge also includes a provision allowing for a future mass transit corridor to spur economic growth.

Preliminary plans involve awarding construction contracts in 2011, with bridge completion in 2015. A 10-year capital plan earmarks US$1 billion for the project, though final cost estimates for the project have not yet been determined as the design process is still in its early stages.