The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in the US has opened Bayonne Bridge's new elevated roadway, marking the opening of the authority's first cashless tolling facility.

The newly opened roadway was constructed as part of Port Authority’s ‘Raise the Roadway’ initiative, and is raised to 215ft above the Kill van Kull and 64ft above the original bridge deck.

Larger container vessels are currently using the expanded Panama Canallater, and the Port Authority aims to provide greater navigational clearance with the new installation.

The new Bayonne Bridge roadway will initially accommodate one lane of traffic in each direction, and is expected to reach its full width of four 12ft lanes by 2019.

"The new Bayonne Bridge roadway will initially accommodate one lane of traffic in each direction, and is expected to reach its full width of four 12ft lanes by 2019."

Bayonne Bridge’s full width also includes inner and outer shoulders, as well as a median barrier and 10ft shared-use path for cyclists and pedestrians.

The Port Authority began the Bayonne Bridge elevations project with an investment of $1.3bn in 2013, reported ABC.

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey major capital projects chief Steven Plate said prior to the roadway's inauguration: “The Bayonne Bridge, a marvel of 20th century engineering, will become a groundbreaking innovation of the 21st century.”

The authority also noted that the new cashless tolling facility will use a mix of E-ZPass and mailed toll facilities.