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NEW NY BRIDGE APRIL 2016 MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
March 29, 2016 by
MAIN SPAN TOWERS REACH NEW MILESTONE
February 4, 2016 by
PROJECT UPDATE
For immediate release: Feb. 4, 2016
MAIN SPAN TOWERS REACH NEW MILESTONE
Overnight Lane and Ramp Closures on Southbound Thruway (I-87/I-287)
Next week, Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) will begin the installation of four precast concrete crossbeams that will connect the new bridges main span towers and support its future road deck. The crossbeams were fabricated by Coastal Precast Systems in Chesapeake, Virginia, and barged to the project site last week. The precast materials will be set in place with the I Lift NY super crane, one of the few marine cranes in the world capable of the massive job.
Demolition of Thruway Maintenance Facility
TZC will begin demolition of the New York State Thruway Authoritys former maintenance offices in Tarrytown. Bridge maintenance teams currently operate from a temporary facility near exit 12 in West Nyack. The demolition will make way for a new maintenance facility and office building, which will begin construction this spring.
All-Electronic Toll Collection Gantry Work
Field testing of the projects temporary all-electronic toll collection (AETC) system in Rockland will continue throughout the coming week near the exit 10 (Nyack – South Nyack – US Route 9W) and exit 11 (Nyack – South Nyack – US Route 9W) on-ramps to the southbound New York State Thruway (I-87/I-287).
The testing will necessitate closing the on-ramps during the overnights of Thursday, Feb. 4, through Friday, Feb. 12. Drivers will be directed to use the exit 12 (West Nyack NY Route 303 Palisades Center Drive) on-ramp from Route 303 in West Nyack, as shown in the graphic below. Signs will be posted to advise motorists of the detour route.
In addition, the work will require overnight closures of up to three lanes of the southbound Thruway throughout the remainder of this week and during the coming week. Specific lane and ramp closure times are detailed in the chart below.
The AETC system is expected to be activated this spring.
New NY Bridge Project August 2015 Monthly Newsletter
August 4, 2015 by
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Holiday Traffic Update
July 2, 2015 by
For immediate release: July 1, 2015
NO LANE CLOSURES SCHEDULED ON NEW NY BRIDGE PROJECT OVER INDEPENDENCE DAY WEEKEND
Multiple Lane Closures During the Overnights of the Week of July 6
In observance of the Independence Day holiday, Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) will suspend most construction activities over the Fourth of July weekend. Security and limited maintenance operations will continue throughout the project site. In accordance with New York States Drivers First initiative, no construction related lane closures are scheduled on or near the New NY Bridge project site from Thursday morning, July 2 to Monday night, July 6. Drivers First, launched in 2012, prioritizes the convenience of motorists to ensure that traffic disruptions are as minimal as possible for drivers at highway and bridge construction projects across the state.
Boater Safety With the 2015 boating season in full swing, the New NY Bridge project team urges all boaters to use caution on the Hudson River near the construction zone and to take advantage of the extensive safety-related information available on the project website including the 2015 New NY Bridge Boater Safety Guide.
Enhanced marine law enforcement patrols are in effect for the Independence Day holiday weekend. The U.S. Coast Guard, Westchester and Rockland County marine units will be patrolling the area urging all boaters to use caution and follow all safety regulations.
The U.S. Coast Guard has established a Safety Zone surrounding 16 construction barge mooring locations at the project site. No unauthorized vessels are allowed in the Safety Zone. In addition, marine law enforcement will be enforcing the rules of the expanded Regulated Navigation Areas (RNAs) east and west of the Safety Zone. The RNAs stretch 500 yards north and 500 yards south of the existing bridge. Boaters are urged to transit the main channel with no wake at a maximum speed of 5 knots and to use extreme caution on the river at all times.
More New NY Bridge boater safety information, including the U.S. Coast Guard Notice to Mariners and construction site maps, can be found here at NewNYBridge.com. An interactive map showing vessel locations on the Hudson River is also available here for recreational and commercial boaters to get updated information on the very active construction zone. The GPS tracking map is for informational purposes and not intended for navigation.
Mariners also should be aware that TZC will continue work in the vicinity of the side channels under the existing bridge. Additional temporary navigational lights have been installed to further define the 600-foot navigation channel under the main span. Permanent elements of the new bridge are lit per U.S. Coast Guard requirements, as are all moorings, barges and other equipment.
Following the Holiday, Multiple-Lane Closures and Periodic Traffic Stops During the Overnights of Monday, July 6 through Friday, July 10 During the overnight of Monday, July 6, lane restriping operations will require triple-lane closures of the northbound New York State Thruway (I-87/I-287) from exit 9 (Tarrytown – Sleepy Hollow – US Route 9) to exit 11 (Nyack – South Nyack – US Route 9W). Specific lane closure times are listed in the chart below.
At least one lane will remain open at all times, except during periodic traffic stops lasting up to 10 minutes of all four lanes of the northbound Thruway near exit 11 (Nyack South Nyack US Route 9W). To ensure the publics safety, the New York State Police will stop and hold all traffic approaching the area immediately before the traffic stops go into effect. Motorists will be permitted to enter the Thruway from all ramps during the traffic stops.
Additionally the exit 10 (Nyack South Nyack US Route 9W) off-ramp from the northbound Thruway will also be closed during the overnight of Monday, July 6. Drivers will be directed to use exit 11 (Nyack South Nyack US Route 9W) as shown below:
During the overnight of Tuesday, July 7, construction operations will require overnight double-lane closures of the northbound Thruway from exit 9 (Tarrytown – Sleepy Hollow – US Route 9) to exit 11 (Nyack – South Nyack – US Route 9W). Specific lane closure times are listed in the chart below.
At least one lane will remain open at all times, except during periodic traffic stops lasting up to 10 minutes of all four lanes of the northbound Thruway near exit 11 (Nyack South Nyack US Route 9W.
During the overnights of Wednesday, July 8 through Friday, July 10, construction operations will require triple-lane closures of the southbound Thruway in the area of exit 10 (Nyack South Nyack US Route 9W). Specific lane closure times are listed in the chart below.
Additionally the exit 10 (Nyack South Nyack US Route 9W) on-ramp to the southbound Thruway will be closed from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. during the overnights of Tuesday, July 7 and Wednesday, July 8. Drivers will be directed to use the on-ramp from Route 59 in Nyack, as shown in the following graphic.
Lane closures throughout the coming week are scheduled as follows:
| I-287/I-87 Lane and Ramp Closures near the Tappan Zee Bridge | |||
| Date: | Closures Begin: | Closures End: | Location: |
| Mon, 7/6 | 8 p.m. One left lane
9 p.m. Two left lanes 11 p.m. Three left lanes |
4:30 a.m., Tue, 7/7 | Northbound, from exit 9 to exit 11 |
| Mon, 7/6 | 8 p.m. Ramp closure | 4:30 a.m., Tue, 7/7 | Northbound, exit 10 off-ramp |
| Tues, 7/7 | 8 p.m. One left lane
9 p.m. Two left lanes |
4:30 a.m., Wed, 7/8 | Northbound, from exit 9 to exit 11 |
| Tue, 7/7 | 8 p.m. Ramp closure | 4:30 a.m., Wed, 7/8 | Southbound,
exit 10 on-ramp |
| Wed, 7/8 | 8 p.m. One left lane
9 p.m. Two left lanes 11 p.m. Three left lanes |
5 a.m., Thu, 7/9 | Southbound, from exit 10 to exit 11 |
| Wed, 7/8 | 8 p.m. Ramp Closure | 4:30 a.m., Wed, 7/8 | Southbound,
exit 10 on-ramp |
| Thu, 7/9 | 8 p.m. One left lane
9 p.m. Two left lanes 11 p.m. Three left lanes |
5 a.m., Fri 7/10 | Southbound, from exit 10 to exit 11 |
| Fri, 7/10 | 9 p.m. One left lane
10 p.m. Two left lanes 11 p.m. Three left lanes |
6 a.m., Sat 7/11 | Southbound, from exit 10 to exit 11 |
All planned work is subject to postponement due to weather conditions.
Steel Girder Assemblies As piers are finalized in the coming weeks and months, steel girder assemblies for the approach span of the new bridge will continue being installed by the I Lift NY super crane.
Installation of Noise Barriers in South Nyack Next week will see continued installation of foundations for noise barriers along the southbound Thruway between the South Broadway bridge and River Road. The work will involve drilling holes into the soil to install the foundations. After the foundations are installed, concrete panels that form the noise barriers will be installed. The barriers will be treated with sound-absorbing material to further reduce traffic noise to the nearby community.
River Road in South Nyack River Road utility work will continue over the coming week. The work may require reducing River Road to one lane at times. TZC flag persons will direct traffic as needed and additional signage as well as other safety measures will be in place.
Foundation Work on the New Bridge Marine crews are continuing work on bridge foundations next week by placing reinforcing steel and concrete in the piles, main span pile caps and approach span pile caps. The high-strength concrete is made on site by the projects floating batch plants. Teams also will erect formwork for the cast-in-place pier columns, which eventually will support the new bridges road deck.
Crews also will continue working on the bridges landings at the Rockland and Westchester shorelines. The abutments, comprised of steel and concrete, will serve as strong bases where the new crossing meets the landside roadway.
Additionally, TZC will continue concrete placement for bridge foundations near the South Nyack shoreline. The concrete for this work is being acquired from local concrete suppliers and is delivered by truck to the Rockland trestle located off the Thruways southbound access ramp. Trucks exit the trestle to the Thruway via the northbound access ramp. The access ramps are used only by construction vehicles, providing a safe route directly to the work site and reducing traffic impacts on local roads.
Additional work includes:
- Girder installation
- Pile cap foundation construction
- Main span foundation construction
- Landing abutment concrete work
- Support for river-based work from the Rockland trestle
- Survey inspections on the existing bridge
- Westchester Landings utility work
All lane closures are subject to change due to traffic, weather or emergency situations. Please visit http://www.thruway.ny.gov/travelers/map/ for real-time information regarding traffic conditions.
NEW NY BRIDGE BIKE/PEDESTRIAN PATH
January 23, 2015 by
More Community Input Wanted on Parking Facility Concepts for Rockland and Westchester
Residents and other interested stakeholders are invited to provide comments on the new bridge’s shared-use bike/pedestrian path parking concepts.
Once complete, the New NY Bridge to replace the Tappan Zee will offer Hudson Valley residents a safer and easier commute, as well as a brand new 3.1-mile-long shared-use path for pedestrians and bicycles with stunning Hudson Valley views. The path will be perfect for a leisurely stroll, a challenging run or an exhilarating ride.
The project team has been working closely with residents, elected officials and experts for more than a year to develop the best design for visitor parking and other amenities. We completed a comprehensive study to determine the amount of parking needed, and an environmental assessment of the options is underway. Public meetings will be held to present the findings of the environmental assessment and take more comments from the public before any plans are finalized.
Now, we want your input on the parking options.
Please click here to view parking concepts. Comments will be accepted through Friday, February 13, 2015, and can be made via mail, email or fac (see instructions below).
At the Westchester landing, the parking facility is planned on Thruway Authority property off South Broadway in Tarrytown. This site offers ample space for both parking and amenities.
For the Rockland landing, a variety of community-generated concepts are being studied to provide sufficient parking and amenities – including one on Thruway property at exit 10. At the Village of South Nyack’s request, the bike/pedestrian path’s entrance was moved from Smith Avenue to Cornelison Avenue at South Broadway. A $250,000 grant was awarded to the village through the New NY Bridge project’s Community Benefits Program to study the feasibility of redeveloping exit 10.
The parking facility concepts can be viewed at NewNYBridge.com/SUP and public comments can be submitted as follows:
Mail: Brian Conybeare
Special Advisor to the Governor for the New NY Bridge Project
303 South Broadway, Suite 413
Tarrytown, New York 10591
Email: Info@NewNYBridge.com
Fax: 914.524.5455
Thank you in advance for your comments!
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Construction Milestone on the TZ Bridge
January 22, 2015 by
Another major construction milestone on the Tappan Zee Bridge project.
“To get to this point is very big,” Tappan Zee Constructors construction services manager Ro DiNardo told The Journal News.
Over the coming weeks and months, there will be a whirlwind of activity on the $3.9 billion project in Rockland alone.
http://lohud.us/1BJb9Iy
Lohud Khurram Saeed, ksaeed@lohud.com, January 9,2015
Traffic Update thru Jan 4th to Ease Holiday Travels
December 30, 2014 by
| For immediate release: December 26, 2014
ALL LANES OF NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY (I-87/I-287) WILL REMAIN OPEN FROM FRIDAY DEC. 26, 2014 THROUGH SUNDAY, JAN. 4, 2015 TO EASE HOLIDAY TRAVEL All lanes of the New York State Thruway (I-87/I-287) will remain open from Friday, Dec. 26, 2014 through Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015 to help New Yorkers reach their winter holiday destinations. The 10-day lane-closure-free period follows Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s “Drivers First” initiative, which gives priority to motorists by ensuring that disruptions associated with highway and bridge projects are kept as minimal as possible. While Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) will continue working in several areas of the project during the week of Dec. 29, none of the planned activities will result in the closure of any traffic lanes. No construction work is scheduled for New Year’s Day, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2015, though safety and security teams will remain on site. Limited concrete placement will continue as TZC progresses the investigation of the recent incident on one of its floating concrete batch plants. The concrete for foundations near the S. Nyack shoreline will be acquired from local concrete suppliers that will be delivered to the site via trucks to the Rockland Trestle off of the New York State Thruway southbound access ramp. The trucks will exit the trestle to the Thruway via the northbound access ramp. This work could begin as soon as this week. Activities on the Westchester and Rockland landings will continue as originally scheduled as this work has always been planned to receive the needed concrete from trucks to the site. Continued Demolition of Westchester Landing of Existing Tappan Zee Bridge Pile Driving and Other Construction Activity A second shift of workers also will continue pile welding, pile cleanout and concrete placement operations associated with foundations. Work is continuing on the new bridge’s landings on both sides of the river. Additional work includes:
Boater Safety More New NY Bridge boater safety information, including the U.S. Coast Guard Notice to Mariners and construction site maps, can be found here at NewNYBridge.com. An interactive map showing vessel locations on the Hudson River is also available here for recreational and commercial boaters to get updated information on this very active construction zone. The GPS tracking map is for informational purposes and not intended for navigation. Mariners also should be aware that TZC will continue work in the vicinity of the side channels under the existing bridge. Additional temporary navigational lights have been installed to further define the 600-foot navigation channel under the main span. Permanent elements of the new bridge are lit per U.S. Coast Guard requirements, as are all moorings, barges and other equipment. All lane closures are subject to change due to traffic, weather or emergency situations. Please visit http://www.thruway.ny.gov/travelers/map/index.html?layer=incidents for real-time information regarding traffic conditions |
New Tappan Zee expected to become top tourism destination
October 20, 2014 by
The answer is years away but it’s conceivable the world’s widest crossing could one day rank alongside New York’s many treasured landmarks, which include Grand Central Terminal, the Brooklyn Bridge and most recently, the Walkway Over the Hudson.
People walking or biking over the Hudson River between Westchester and Rockland will enjoy six scenic overlooks along the 3-mile path. The northerly view would offer stunning vistas of the water, Hook Mountain and the Sleepy Hollow lighthouse.
“That really is a big draw,” said Larry Oakner, senior partner of strategy and engagement with CoreBrand, a marketing consultant firm in Manhattan.
“It may fall into those hidden gem kind of ideas of what New York state has to offer,” he added.
Although the first of the Tappan Zee’s two spans will open in late 2016, the path won’t be ready until 2018 when it will become part of the northern span that carries traffic into Rockland.
A tourism director’s dream scenario would envision thousands of people arriving on weekends to descend upon the path, while pumping money into shops and restaurants in Tarrytown and the Nyacks. Bicycle clubs from New York City and the region would add it to their routes; out-of-state visitors would opt to stay overnight to take in local attractions, including the first major new bridge to be built in the metropolitan area in half a century.
“Just to simply build the bridge won’t deliver the greatest return for you from a tourism perspective,” said Bill Baker, chief strategist of Total Destination Marketing, an Oregon-based firm that helps communities with branding. “They want reasonable experiences, not to just take a photo of it.”
Baker said the landmark offered a unique opportunity for local businesses.
“The parties need to start talking and planning for it,” he said. “There may be some need to commit some funds and perhaps re-purpose some plans.”
Michael Yanko, whose company is constructing a 132-room hotel in Nyack, is banking on the new bridge and walkway drawing visitors from all over. Located off Exit 11 on the Thruway, Nylo Nyack is expected to open in June 2015, targeting both corporate clients and tourists.
“We will have packages for couples to come from the city and to stay in Nyack for the weekend,” said Yanko, a developer and co-owner of WY Management. “Certainly the bike and pedestrian lane and a beautiful bridge is helping.”
In Tarrytown, plans call for putting up a visitors center with parking for about 100 cars near the bridge on South Broadway. The path will connect to South Nyack but exactly where is far from settled. The village is almost entirely residential, further complicating the parking issue.
Rockland County Legislator Nancy Low-Hogan lives in South Nyack and represents several river villages near the bridge.
“In my mind, the (path) is going to be a tourist attraction. Period. End of story. That means opportunity. It also means challenges and that requires planning,” said Low-Hogan, who has taken up the tourism torch with fellow Legislators Alden Wolfe and Harriet Cornell.
They plan to host a meeting next month with officials from South Nyack, Nyack, Grand View, Piermont and Orangetown to talk about next steps. They later hope to expand the sessions to include other local and regional representatives, business leaders and tourism experts.
“Eventually all of these people have to be in this conversation,” Low-Hogan said.
The state Thruway Authority, which owns the Tappan Zee and its replacement, has not released estimates on how many visitors the path could attract.
Some are looking to learn from the experiences of other elevated pedestrian paths, including the High Line in Manhattan and Walkway Over the Hudson, a mile-long converted railroad bridge connecting Poughkeepsie and Highland that has attracted nearly 3 million visitors since opening in 2009.
David Rocco, a Yorktown Heights resident who served on the Walkway’s board of directors from 2005 to 2010, predicted the Tappan Zee path would become a major tourist destination. He visited San Francisco last summer and took a stroll on the 2-mile walkway on the new San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. He thought of home as he saw people jogging and cycling while taking in spectacular views of San Francisco Bay and Candlestick Point.
“I think it’s going to be magnificent,” Rocco said of the new Tappan Zee. “It’s going to be such a draw for both sides of the river.”
However, he said there was the matter of the traffic noise — “It was loud” — but it didn’t take away from his overall enjoyment.
Tappan Zee officials may want to keep an eye on the Bay Bridge to see if its path ends up giving the Golden Gate Bridge a little friendly competition.
More than 5,500 people showed up to use the Bay Bridge Trail on the first Sunday it opened on Sept. 8, 2013.
John Goodwin, a spokesman for the Bay Area Toll Authority, said while there aren’t updated hard figures, he estimated thousands use the path on a good weather weekend, even though it won’t be completed until June. And driving there requires walking a mile from a parking lot just to reach its entrance.
“We weren’t sure how big of an attraction it would be,” Goodwin said. “It proved to be a major attraction indeed.”
Twitter: @ksaeed1
Ask us about the Tappan Zee
Journal News/lohud transportation reporters Theresa Juva-Brown and Khurram Saeed will answer questions and listen to concerns about the Tappan Zee Bridge project from 11 a.m. to noon on Nov. 1 at Pierson Park in Tarrytown. Join them for the informal one-on-one talk over coffee and snacks.
Tappan Zee fast facts
Bridge type: Cable-stayed
Project cost: $3.9 billion
Construction schedule: 5 years, 2.5 months
Project completed to date: 25 percent
Numbers of spans: 2
Traffic lanes: 4 on each span
Breakdown lanes: 1 on each span
Express bus lane/emergency access lanes: 1 on each span
First span opens: December 2016
Second span opens: November 2017
Project physical completion: April 2018
2014 New NY Bridge Project Monthly Newsletter
September 8, 2014 by
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Exhibits on Display this Month Dozens of art works interpreting the Tappan Zee Bridge and marking the construction of the New NY Bridge will be on display this fall at the new bridge project Community Outreach Centers in Rockland and Westchester. The art was created for the New York State Thruway Authority’s 2014 Bridge Art Show, a juried exhibition that invited local painters, sculptors and photographers to showcase their interpretations of the new bridge design or the existing Tappan Zee Bridge. |
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The New NY Bridge team’s high standards of quality and precision are crucial to the day-to-day operations of the project. To ensure that the bridge’s foundation piles are welded with consistent accuracy, skilled operators are utilizing advanced mechanical welding machines. |
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The Hudson Valley is a unique geological formation, created by receding glaciers tens of thousands of years ago. As the colossal sheets of ice melted and formed the Great Lakes, the melt-water rushed down the Palisades and filled the Hudson Valley with enough sediment to bury the Statue of Liberty. This torrential force of nature created the striking Hudson Valley landscape and more recently, a number of geotechnical hurdles for the New NY Bridge project. |
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The New York State Thruway Authority, Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) and the U.S. Coast Guard have worked together to establish a safe channel for recreational boaters looking to access Piermont’s popular waterfront. The newly-marked channel is part of the New NY Bridge project team’s ongoing efforts to enhance boater safety in and around the construction area. |
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T.Z. viewing areas in Nyack, Tarrytown to open this fall
July 29, 2014 by
The public will be able to see construction up close and learn all about the mega-project.
The two designated spots from which people can watch the new Tappan Zee Bridge get built are likely to open in October.
The sites will be at parks in Nyack and Tarrytown and feature view finders, seats and detail-rich panels about constructing the world’s widest bridge.
Even though the river villages share a common goal, they are working separately to build their respective viewing areas.
Local officials anticipate the spots will prove to be tourist draws, and entice people to spend money at village shops and restaurants.
Nyack
Rockland’s viewing area is piggybacking on a long-planned conversion of the fishing pier at the southern end of Memorial Park.
The village is planning to hold a groundbreaking during the first week of August, Mayor Jen Laird-White said. It had already secured a $150,000 grant from New York’s state department when Tappan Zee project officials approached it about using the 90-foot long pier as an official vantage point.
Laird-White called it “frosting on the cake” since the village would receive $50,000 to make the pier even more of an attraction.
Village trustees last Thursday awarded a contract for installation of the piles for the pier.
Pile driving is expected to begin in late August followed by decking, Village Administrator Jim Politi said.
“Once you set the pilings, which I’m sure will take a couple of weeks, then building the actual structure is another couple of weeks,” he said.
From that point, Politi said it was just a matter to adding the decorative lighting, fancy wood railings and the bridge-related materials.
The viewing area should be ready in October, he said.
Tarrytown
Village trustees last week authorized a $50,000 contract with the state Thruway Authority to move forward on the viewing area at RiverWalk Park at the end of West Main Street, Village Administrator Mike Blau said. Both Tarrytown and Nyack are receiving funding through a special $20 million community fund set up for the project. The Thruway Authority and bridge builder Tappan Zee Constructors are jointly contributing to it.
Once the village receives the technical specifications from the Thruway’s design consultant, it will put the project out to bid, likely in mid-August.
After the bids are received and one selected, Blau expects work will begin in mid- to late September.
“It shouldn’t take that long to actually do the construction end of this project,” he said, anticipating an early October opening date.
According to project renderings, a tiered timber bench will be added to the existing round deck that’s largely enclosed by a stone wall. A pergola will provide shade for visitors.
Three colorful interpretive panels will offer a bevy of information: from an overview of the construction site to design and features of the $3.9 billion bridge to a project schedule. A “spotter’s guide” for the different types of equipment being used on the river may prove most popular of all.
Besides describing what each vessel does, the guide also offers a factoid about each one. For example, the super crane registered as the Left Coast Lifter is longer than a football field while one floating concrete batch plant can produce enough concrete to fill 100 cement trucks in a single day.
There is no mention of tolls.
Twitter: @ksaeed1
Tappan Zee could be pathway to tourism in Rockland
July 3, 2014 by
Tourism experts say the new crossing and an enhanced bus system could lure tourists and their money to Rockland but officials need to start planning now.
SOUTH NYACK – Most of the talk about the Tappan Zee Bridge project so far has been about construction, noise and how the state will pay for the crossing.
But on Monday, the conversation took a new direction: the bridge as a money generator.
“You’re in a good place here right now, particularly with some of the development at the Tappan Zee Bridge and what’s going to happen,” Mary Kay Vrba, tourism director for Dutchess County, told 50 people at “Destination Rockland: Blazing New Trails in Tourism” at Nyack College.
A group of marketing experts, business leaders and elected officials saw visions of cash registers being filled up by tourists walking or bicycling over the bridge’s dedicated path into Rockland County. A revitalized bus system slated to be ready when the $3.9 billion span opens in 2018 could bring more.
Rockland Legislative Chair Alden Wolfe organized the three-hour conference, stating that it marked the “launching point” for further discussion.
Vrba drew parallels between the upcoming Tappan Zee path and the Walkway Over the Hudson, a 1.2-mile-long pedestrian walkway connecting Highland and Poughkeepsie that draws 700,000 visitors a year. Rockland has most of the ingredients to became a destination with its access to the Hudson River, a bevy of hiking trails and parks, and quaint river villages filled with stores and restaurants.
Downtown Poughkeepsie, on the other hand, lacks popular tourist draws like art galleries, she said.
“They walk the bridge and they say, ‘What next?’ ” Vrba said. “So you’ve got the what next, I think, with Nyack and Piermont and a lot of the shops and everything. You’ve got a product that you can work with. I think you have some real opportunities.”
Officials have the luxury of time to take a look at their towns and villages, address their needs and invest in a tourism plan, she said.
South Nyack and Tappan Zee project officials are still struggling to figure out where people who want to use the path will park in the village. The project team is expected to hold a meeting soon with several concepts proposed by the community, Mayor Bonnie Christian said.
Asked how they addressed parking for the Walkway Over the Hudson, Vrba said the land on both sides was municipally owned and purchased by the state parks department so they could be converted into paid lots. They also had the benefit in Poughkeepsie of parking garages six blocks away.
Veronica Vanterpool, executive director of Tri-State Transportation Campaign and a member of the task force that recently came up with transit recommendations for the bridge, said it was seeking a “transformation” of the existing Tappan ZEExpress service to entice more riders. There would be modern buses, traveling more frequently, utilizing technology like off-board fare collection, but some have said the plan didn’t work.
The system, known as bus rapid transit, is still in the conceptual stage. There are no cost estimates, and only $20 million in state seed money to date.
Twitter: @ksaeed1
Obama, at Tappan Zee Bridge, pushes transportation funding
May 15, 2014 by
The president will seek to rally support for more federal dollars for highway and bridge improvements.
TARRYTOWN – With the new Tappan Zee Bridge taking shape behind him, President Barack Obama on Wednesday urged Congress to inject billions of dollars in the nation’s transportation infrastructure to keep Americans working and encourage businesses to stay.
During his first visit to Westchester as president, Obama praised the progress on the new $3.9 billion crossing, which is replacing the 58-year-old crumbling structure.
“It carries a lot more traffic than when it was built back in 1955,” Obama said under sunny skies at Sunset Cove, a restaurant at the Washington Irving Boat Club. “At times, you can see the river through the cracks in the pavement. Now, I’m not an engineer, but I figure that’s not good.”
Highlights from President Obama’s speech on the country’s infrastructure at near the Tappan Zee Bridge in Tarrytown. (Video by Peter Carr/The Journal News)
He noted the new Tappan Zee will be the first new bridge in New York in 50 years and announced the federal government plans to apply the same “fast track” process to 11 other infrastructure projects, including Boston’s South Station and light rail around Seattle.
“Normally it would have taken three to five years to permit this bridge,” Obama said during his 10-minute speech. “We did it in a year and a half.”
With the Tappan Zee Bridge as a backdrop, President Barack Obama speaks from the Washington Irving Boat Club in Tarrytown May 14, 2014. The President spoke about the need for Congress to fund road and bridge improvements across the nation. (Photo: Seth Harrison/The Journal News)
He also called out congressional Republicans for blocking funding that would pay for modern highways, bridges and seaports.”We’ve got more than 100,000 bridges that are old enough to qualify for Medicare,” Obama said.Officials have warned that funding in the federal Highway Trust Fund is set to run out by the fall, which would put 112,000 active road and bridge projects and 5,600 transit projects at risk, along with nearly 700,000 jobs.”That’s like the population of Tampa and St. Louis combined,” the president said, citing the jobs figure.
“So far at least Republicans who run this Congress seem to have a different priority,” Obama said. “Rebuilding America — that shouldn’t be a partisan issue.”
Obama emphasized that “there is work to be done.”
“So the bottom line, Tarrytown, is America doesn’t stand still. … So I’m going to keep on fighting alongside all of you to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to rebuild America – not just rebuild one bridge, but I want us to rebuild every bridge. I don’t want us to just rebuild one school, I want us to rebuild every school that needs help.”
His administration in late 2011 named replacing the Tappan Zee Bridge, which carries 138,000 vehicles a day, a top infrastructure priority. The process moved quickly from there, with environmental reviews fast-tracked and in 2013, the New York State Thruway Authority received a record $1.6 billion federal loan.
Under New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the state approved a process that allows infrastructure project to be designed while construction begins.
Cuomo, who introduced the president, has been praised for reviving the project, which had been stagnating for nearly a decade. It’s now in its second year of construction with completion projected for 2018.
With preparations in place for President Obama’s visit to the TZ Bridge construction site, minority construction workers protest about being shut out of major construction projects. (Video by Joe Larese/ The Journal News)
“We are the state of the bold. We are the state of the daring,” Cuomo said. “We are the state of performance. We are the state of skyscrapers, intricate transit systems. We are the state of public works that challenge the imagination.”
Also in attendance, seated to the back, was Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, the Republican who is planning to challenge Cuomo this fall. He criticized the governor before the speech for not discussing the cost of future tolls.
“The public has a right to know before the election,” Astorino said. “They know what it’s going to be. They promised last year we would have answers.”
Astorino accused the governor’s staff of refusing to allow him to sit in the front. Cuomo’s office, however, denied it meddled with the seating chart. An official who attended the speech said Astorino spent more than an hour talking with reporters and that by the time he tried to claim a seat, the choice ones were taken.
But all eyes were on the president who wore a crisp dark suit and dark blue tie against a background of construction equipment and steel piles. Obama joked and shook hands with many of the 250 people who were invited to attend, including elected officials, construction workers and residents.
Chris Junge of Tarrytown brought his two children, Tucker, 8, and Cassie, 6. The family walked from home to the event.
“It was exciting to be that close. It was personal,” Junge said. “It was a long day for them but I think they will remember it.”
Arriving at John F. Kennedy International, Obama flew aboard Marine One to Tarrytown. He traveled by motorcade the short distance to the marina. Less than 30 minutes after he arrived, Obama was back off to New York City to attend two Democratic party fundraisers in the evening.
Reporter Brian Tumulty contributed to this story.
Twitter: @ksaeed1
http://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/tappan-zee-bridge/2014/05/14/obamas-tappan-zee-bridge-speech-set-mid-afternoon/9080115/
Giant crane Left Coast Lifter on way to build new Tappan Zee Bridge
December 31, 2013 by
Ocean voyage expected to take 6 to 8 weeks
LoHud December 31, 2013 Theresa Juva Brown
The gargantuan crane that will help build the new Tappan Zee Bridge is on its way.
New video released by bridge builder Tappan Zee Constructors shows the Left Coast Lifter passing under the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco this week as it begins its 6,000-mile voyage to the Hudson River. The journey is expected to take six to eight weeks. The 400-foot-long floating crane — one of the world’s largest — will travel down the West Coast, through the Panama Canal, across the Gulf of Mexico, up the East Coast and through New York Harbor.
The Left Coast Lifter, previously used on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge project, can lift 1,750 metric tons, or 12 times the weight of the Statue of Liberty. It will help install the huge deck panels on the new Tappan Zee and demolish the existing Tappan Zee in 2017.
The crane is owned by Fluor Corp. and American Bridge Co., two of the companies that make up Tappan Zee Constructors.
Read complete article here: http://www.lohud.com/article/20131231/NEWS02/312310014/Giant-crane-Left-Coast-Lifter-on-way-to-build-new-Tappan-Zee-Bridge-(video)?nclick_check=1
Construction Continues From US9 to TZ Bridge
December 7, 2013 by
For immediate release: December 6, 2013 INSTALLATION OF PERMANENT PILES CONTINUES, Construction activities continue on the foundations for the New NY Bridge with the ongoing installation of permanent piles. The entrance ramp to the Tappan Zee Bridge (I-87 northbound/I-287 westbound) from South Broadway (Route 9) in Tarrytown is now closed to traffic for the duration of the New NY Bridge project. Signs are in place to direct motorists to the entrance ramp located nearby on White Plains Road (Route 119.) As a result of the closure, motorists who wish to travel northbound/ westbound on the Thruway are directed to bear right immediately after the closed ramp, onto what is referred to as the “jughandle” for Route 119. Motorists will proceed approximately 0.2 miles east on Route 119, turning right onto the I-87 northbound/I-287 westbound entrance ramp. Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) will utilize the area surrounding the ramp for storage and staging, which will in turn reduce the amount of construction traffic on local roadways. Complete closure is required for the construction of the New NY Bridge in order to ensure safety for motorists and project workers. Excavation and preparation work for installation of permanent sound barriers continues along I-87 northbound /I-287 westbound in the area south of exit 10 in Rockland County. From Monday, Dec. 9 to Thursday, Dec. 12, one northbound right-hand lane and shoulder on I-87/I-287 near exit 10 in Nyack will be closed from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Friday, Dec. 13 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mariners should be aware that TZC will be installing permanent piles in the vicinity of the side channels under the existing bridge. Pile driving will take place between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays, and occasionally between noon and 7 p.m. on Saturdays. New temporary navigational lights have been installed to further define the 600-foot navigation channel under the main span. Both temporary and permanent piles are illuminated at night. The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a revised Notice to Mariners with updated safety information, including the establishment of a Regulated Navigation Area (RNA) 300 yards north and 200 yards south of the existing Tappan Zee Bridge. All boaters are advised to use the main channel, reduce wake and use extreme caution while transiting the area. If necessary, the Coast Guard in the future may temporarily prohibit all vessel traffic in the RNA for safety purposes. The Coast Guard boating safety information can be found on the project website under the “Boating Safety” icon. Ongoing operations:
### |
West Nyack buildings demolished to clear way for ‘Palisades Plaza’
November 27, 2013 by
LoHud By Akiko Matsuda November 27, 2013
http://m.lohud.com/RocklandNews/article?a=2013311260048&f=1168
Demolition work in West Nyack has made the way for a strip mall, to be known as Palisades Plaza. – Akiko Matsuda/The Journal News
WEST NYACK — A triangular lot with three buildings that was an eyesore for years will soon become a strip mall with a restaurant.
The 2.36-acre site is east of Route 303 and south of the New York State Thruway. The lot originally consisted of three separate properties: a single-story mixed-use office and light manufacturing building, a former state police barracks, and a former Texaco station.
Those buildings were all demolished recently. On Tuesday, heavy machinery was crushing chunks of concrete left behind.
The development is the latest sign of life to spring out of disused lots in the Tappan Zee Bridge corridor.
Developer Lawrence Adler of East Syracuse has gone before the Clarkstown Planning Board for his plans to build a 13,900-square-foot strip mall at the site, combining the three lots into one.
“Palisades Plaza” will include four retail stores and a restaurant with drive-thru service. Names of the future occupants are not mentioned in the application.
Adler and Ira Emanuel, an attorney representing the developer, did not return phone and email messages seeking comment.
Clarkstown Principal Town Planner Joe Simoes said the developer has taken all the necessary steps with regulatory jurisdictions.
At its meeting last month, the Clarkstown Planning Board granted final approval for the project, and the developer is in the process of getting Planning Board Chairwoman Shirley Thormann’s signoff.
The Tappan Zee Bridge replacement project has been stimulating the local real estate scene, as bridge builder Tappan Zee Constructors is leasing properties for temporary construction staging areas.
The former Journal News printing plant at 160 N. Route 303 — just north of the proposed Palisades Plaza — is slated to become a temporary home for state police and the New York state Thruway Authority.
Simoes said he didn’t believe the strip mall project was prompted by the bridge construction because the developer has been unsuccessfully trying to bring new businesses to the site for some time.
Because it’s an oddly shaped property that was partly zoned “residential,” it has been difficult to develop, Simoes said. Most recently, a mini-storage project was proposed, but the plan didn’t work out, he said.
The zoning issue has been resolved, making a way for the strip mall.
Simoes said the new development would be good for the community.
“It’s been such an eyesore for years that it’s an improvement,” he said.
Twitter: @LohudAkiko
THIRD NEW CONSTRUCTION CAMERA GOES LIVE
November 18, 2013 by
Project Update
For immediate release: November 15, 2013
Residents and motorists now have a Rockland County-view of work at the site of the New NY Bridge with the addition of a third construction camera. The construction camera went live this afternoon at NewNYBridge.com, and joins two others that provide views from Tarrytown and the Tappan Zee Bridge, respectively.
Located on a hill overlooking the Hudson River in Upper Grandview, the newest construction camera offers a view of the existing span, as well as barges, equipment and the permanent piles that are currently being constructed.
The installation of permanent piles will continue at the site next week, as will “armoring” of the dredge channel. Armoring is a process that helps protect the water quality for marine life. Currently, TZC crews are layering sand and stone within the dredge channel to armor the river bottom in an effort to ensure sediment is not kicked up by construction vessels.
The creation of the first of four new permanent noise barriers is also underway in Rockland County and sections of the existing noise wall along northbound I-87/I-287 in the area south of exit 10 will continue to be removed next week. From Monday, Nov. 18 to Wednesday, Nov. 20, one northbound right-hand lane and shoulder on I-87/I-287 in the area south of exit 10 in Nyack will be closed from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for sound wall removal. A temporary noise barrier and noise monitors have been installed nearby and additional temporary noise barriers will be installed along a local access ramp and the New York State Thruway, after improvements are made to the ramp.
Mariners should be aware that TZC will be installing permanent piles in the vicinity of the side channels under the existing bridge. Pile driving will take place between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays, and occasionally between noon and 7 p.m. on Saturdays. New temporary navigational lights have been installed to further define the 600’ navigation channel under the main span. Both temporary and permanent piles are illuminated at night.
The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a revised Notice to Mariners with updated safety information, including the establishment of a Regulated Navigation Area (RNA) 300 yards north and 200 yards south of the existing Tappan Zee Bridge. All boaters are advised to use the main channel, reduce wake and use extreme caution while transiting the area. If necessary, the Coast Guard in the future may temporarily prohibit all vessel traffic in the RNA for safety purposes. The Coast Guard boating safety information can be found on the project website under the “Boating Safety” icon.
Ongoing operations:
- Rockland access ramp modifications
- Armoring of dredge channel
- River Road utility work
- Test pile program
- Rockland Dock Extension – finishing work under existing bridge
- Temporary Rockland trestle construction including pile driving on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Survey inspections on existing bridge
- Support for river-based work from the Rockland shoreline
- Reinforcement steel pre-assembly at bridge yard
Feds Will Loan Up to $1.6 Billion for TZ Bridge Construction
November 1, 2013 by
A Big Loan for a Big Project
New City Patch, Posted by Lanning Taliaferro (Editor) ,
Photo credit: Carlos Gonzalez
The U.S. Department of Transportation has approved a loan of up to $1.6 billion through its Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program for construction of a new Tappan Zee Bridge.
The loan is the largest ever in the history of the TIFIA program.
The Secretary’s approval comes after the DOT’s Credit Council met this morning to review the loan application, said Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D, Westchester-Rockland).
Yesterday, Lowey wrote a letter urging the DOT to expedite consideration of the TIFIA application. It can be viewed here.
“This is a huge milestone for the construction of a New Tappan Zee Bridge, a critical link in our region’s infrastructure system and lifeline for commuters and businesses,” she said in a statement. “I am excited that the DOT has approved the largest ever TIFIA loan for a transportation project and that the work on a new bridge can continue to move forward.”
Actual construction started last week. Patch has that and all the TZB news on our dedicated page.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said, “”Approval of New York State’s request for this loan is great news for the tens of thousands of commuters who depend on the Tappan Zee every day, for communities in the Lower Hudson Valley, and for our entire state.
“This is a huge win for New York State, creating thousands of jobs, and an endorsement of one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in our history. It shows that despite over a decade of delay, New York can continue to build big,” Cuomo said.
Plans for a new bridge to replace the Tappan Zee were first discussed in 1999, and over the next 11 years, $88 million in taxpayer dollars was spent, 430 meetings were held, 150 concepts were considered, according to the governor’s office.
State Assemblyman David Buchwald said, “Today’s announcement is a victory for all New Yorkers. It reaffirms our progress on building the new Tappan Zee Bridge that is essential for our region’s economic vitality. I applaud Governor Cuomo for his leadership through each phase of this important project.”
Harriet Cornell, Chairwoman of the Rockland County Legislature, said the new bridge would be an important addition to the nation’s transportation network.
“Governor Cuomo has made this project a signature issue, and the federal government recognized its significance by granting the largest TIFIA loan in history,” Cornell said. “This bridge will provide economic development, thousands of jobs during construction, access to the entire Northeast and will be a magnificent sight spanning the Hudson River. This is wonderful news.”
Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino also congratulated the governor; but, he pointed out there are still financial issues to be dealt with.
“I congratulate Governor Cuomo on this good news. The next step is how do we finance the rest of the bridge and the mass transit improvements to and from the bridge, while keeping tolls as low as possible,” Astorino said. “The governor has my full support to help the state come up with the best financing plans possible.”
The first permanent piles for the New Tappan Zee Bridge are going in this week.
October 17, 2013 by
Tarrytown-Sleepy Hollow Patch; Posted by Krista Madsen (Editor) ,
The big news on today’s media boat tour of the work surrounding the Tappan Zee Bridge was that construction is now officially underway for the new bridge.
All the action we’ve been seeing for months in the river has been preconstruction work – test piling, geotechnical investigations, dredging. Just this week, permanent piles are being vibrated, and then pounded, in place to begin forming the bridge’s foundation.
“This week, we are putting shovels in the ground and starting formal construction on a new bridge to replace the Tappan Zee, the largest infrastructure project New York State has undertaken in decades,” Governor Andrew Cuomo said in a press release following the tour, which was cut a little short due to the threat of rain.
“After more than a decade of delay, New York State has moved this project forward at a dramatic pace while working with the community, involving the public and protecting the local environment,” Cuomo said. “Once completed, drivers in Rockland, Westchester and surrounding areas will finally have a safer, less congested bridge that will include a walkway for pedestrians and bikers and accommodates future mass transit.”
The project, said Thruway Authority Chairman Howard Milstein, is on track with a projected build timeline in place of just under five years.
Bridge cam anyone? You can watch the progress up close as it happens on a new ‘Construction Camera’ section of the New NY bridge website.
The specifics of the five-year timeline to date:
· Dredging to prepare for bridge construction is ongoing until November 1, and will also take place during August, September and October, 2014.
· October 2013: Main span permanent pile installation begins
· November 2013: Permanent pile installation begins for approaches
· March 2014: Work begins on approach substructure
· June 2014: Work begins on main span substructure
· September 2014: Work begins for erection of superstructure
· Late 2014 / early 2015: Work begins on cable stay installation
· Late 2016: Complete north span
· December 2016: Relocate westbound traffic to new north span
· February 2017: Relocate existing eastbound traffic to new north span
· February 2017: Start demolition of existing bridge
· Late 2017: Both spans complete
· November 2017: Relocate eastbound traffic from new north span to new south span
· April 2018: Physical completion of project
· July 2018: Final acceptance of project
There are reports that one of the world’s largest floating cranes, the Left Coast Lifter, is in Virginia now, ever so slowly making its way upriver for the biggest show we’ll see yet.
Read complete article here:
TZ Bridge Pre-Construction Activities Continue
October 11, 2013 by
For immediate release: October 11, 2013
NEW NY BRIDGE PROJECT
PRE-CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES CONTINUE
Second shift operations will continue on the river from 3:30 p.m. to 12 midnight on weekdays in preparation for permanent construction activities.
This work is primarily to support activities for the daytime pile driving operations and is limited by the project’s noise level restrictions. Pile driving will be limited to the hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and, occasionally, from 12 noon to 7 p.m. on Saturdays.
Construction of the Rockland County trestle will continue. This work will include daytime pile driving to install the temporary foundation piles needed to support the platform. The trestle is a work platform that will support a crane for the construction of the westernmost section of the new bridge. The 1200-foot long platform helps reduce the amount of dredging required.
From Tuesday, October 15 to Friday, October 18, one southbound right hand lane and shoulder on I-87/I-287 between exit 9 and exit 11 will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for shoulder work.
Additionally, utility work will continue on River Road in South Nyack. This work will be performed from 6:30 a.m. to approximately 6 p.m. for the next three weeks and has been coordinated with and approved by the Village of South Nyack. The work will reduce the roadway to one lane during daytime hours and flaggers will be onsite to safely direct motorists on River Road. During non-work hours, the road will have temporary coverings in place that may create uneven surfaces. Motorists and bicyclists should slow down and use extreme caution in the area.
Mariners should be aware that TZC will be installing piles in the vicinity of the side channels. Both temporary and permanent piles are illuminated at night.
The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a revised Notice to Mariners with updated safety information, including the establishment of a Regulated Navigation Area (RNA) 300 yards north and 200 yards south of the existing Tappan Zee Bridge. All boaters are advised to use the main channel, reduce wake and use extreme caution while transiting the area.
If necessary, the Coast Guard in the future may temporarily prohibit all vessel traffic in the RNA for safety purposes. The Coast Guard boating safety information can be found on the project website, NewNYBridge.com, under the boating safety icon.
E-ZPass tags are now available for purchase at the New NY Bridge Community Outreach Centers in Tarrytown and Nyack.
The pre-packaged E-ZPass tags can be purchased for $25 and are ready for immediate use. E-ZPass users avoid delays when traveling through toll plazas, receive a discount on every Thruway toll they pay, and enjoy the convenience of using E-ZPass in fifteen states: Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, and West Virginia.
E-ZPass tags have a $25 value and are active upon purchase. The first $15 is immediately available for toll usage, and the remaining $10 becomes available once the tag is registered online or by phone. E-ZPass provides a five percent savings on Thruway tolls and offers toll discounts on many other roadways.
The Community Outreach Centers for the new bridge project were established last year as a gathering place and source of information for the community regarding the New NY Bridge. They are located at:
• 303 South Broadway in Tarrytown, and
• 142 Main Street in Nyack.
The centers are open Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Ongoing operations:
• Dredging operations will continue 24/7
• Test pile program
• Rockland Dock Extension under existing bridge
• Temporary Rockland trestle construction including pile driving on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Temporary Westchester trestle construction including pile driving on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Survey inspections on existing bridge
• Support for river-based work from the Rockland shoreline
TZC CREWS SAVES UNMOORED BOATS
October 5, 2013 by
For immediate release: October 4, 2013
TZC CREWS SAVES UNMOORED BOATS
Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) crews helped rescue two boats that became unmoored near the Tappan Zee Bridge this past week.
On September 25, crews spotted a sail boat approaching the dredging area surrounding the Tappan Zee Bridge. After attempting communications and determining that no one was onboard, TZC’s safety team secured the boat and towed it to a tugboat. TZC then contacted the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office and the Coast Guard to track down the owner of the vessel. Later in the week, another unmoored vessel was secured by TZC and safely returned to its owners.
TZC crews will begin second shift operations on the river from 3:30 p.m. to 12 midnight on weekdays in preparation for permanent construction activities. This work is primarily support activities for the daytime pile driving operations and is limited by the project’s noise level restrictions. Pile driving will be limited to the hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and, occasionally, from 12 noon to 7 p.m. on Saturdays.
Construction of the Rockland County trestle will continue. This work will include daytime pile driving to install the temporary foundation piles needed to support the platform. The trestle is a work platform that will support a crane for the construction of the westernmost section of the new bridge. The 1200-foot long platform helps reduce the amount of dredging required.
From Monday, October 7 to Wednesday, October 9, one southbound right hand lane and shoulder on I-87/I-287 between exit 12 and the Tappan Zee Bridge will be closed from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for shoulder work.
Additionally, utility work will continue on River Road in South Nyack. This work will continue through November and will involve reducing the roadway to one lane during daytime hours. During non-work hours, the road will have temporary coverings in place that may create uneven driving surfaces. Motorists and bicyclists should slow down and use extreme caution in the area.
Mariners should be aware that TZC will be installing piles in the vicinity of the side channels. Both temporary and permanent pile are illuminated at night. Boaters should use extreme caution and only use the main channel for transiting the area.
The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a revised Notice to Mariners with updated safety information, including the establishment of a Regulated Navigation Area (RNA) 300 yards north and 200 yards south of the existing Tappan Zee Bridge. All boaters are required to use the main channel, reduce wake and use extreme caution while transiting the area.
If necessary, the Coast Guard in the future may temporarily prohibit all vessel traffic in the RNA for safety purposes.
The Coast Guard boating safety information can be found on the project website, NewNYBridge.com, under the boating safety icon.
Ongoing operations:
• Dredging operations will continue 24/7
• Test pile program
• Rockland Dock Extension under existing bridge
• Temporary Rockland trestle construction including pile driving on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Temporary Westchester trestle construction including pile driving on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Survey inspections on existing bridge
• Support for river-based work from the Rockland shoreline
The New York Bridge Quarterly Newsletter
October 2, 2013 by
The NewNYBridge releases it quarterly Newsletter.
Check out the construction progress and what the future holds for the TappanZee Bridge project.
Visit: www.TheNewNyBridge.com
Bridge Construction Continues
September 28, 2013 by
For immediate release: September 27, 2013
NEW NY BRIDGE PROJECT CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES CONTINUE
Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC will continue the construction of the Rockland County trestle.
This work will include daytime pile driving to install the temporary foundation piles needed to support the platform. Pile driving will be limited to the hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and, occasionally, from 12 noon to 7 p.m. on Saturdays. The trestle is a work platform that will support a crane for the construction of the westernmost section of the new bridge. The 1200-foot long platform helps reduce the amount of dredging required.
Impact pile driving will also continue as part of the ongoing test pile program and will continue through October at various locations for future pile foundations during the same timeframe as above.
>From Tuesday, October 1 to Thursday, October 3, one northbound right hand lane and shoulder on I-87/I-287 between exit 9 and the Tappan Zee Bridge will be closed from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for utility location testing. One northbound right hand lane and shoulder on I-87/I-287 in the vicinity of exit 10 will be closed on Wednesday, October 2, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for catch basin repair.
Additionally, utility work will continue on River Road in South Nyack. This work will continue through November and will involve reducing the roadway to one lane during daytime hours. During non-work hours, the road will have temporary coverings in place that may create uneven driving surfaces. Motorists and bicyclists should slow down and use extreme caution in the area.
The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a revised Notice to Mariners with updated safety information, including the establishment of a Regulated Navigation Area (RNA) 300 yards north and 200 yards south of the existing Tappan Zee Bridge. All boaters are required to use the main channel, reduce wake and use extreme caution while transiting the area.
If necessary, the Coast Guard in the future may temporarily prohibit all vessel traffic in the RNA for safety purposes.
The Coast Guard boating safety information can be found on the project website, NewNYBridge.com, under the boating safety icon.
Ongoing operations:
•Dredging operations will continue 24/7
•Test pile program
•Rockland Dock Extension under existing bridge
•Temporary Rockland trestle construction including pile driving on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
•Temporary Westchester trestle construction including pile driving on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
•Survey inspections on existing bridge
•Support for river-based work from the Rockland shoreline
TZ Construction to Begin On River Road, S Nyack
September 7, 2013 by
For immediate release: September 6, 2013
UTILITY WORK BEGINS ON RIVER ROAD
Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC will begin utility work on River Road in South Nyack the week of Sept. 9. This work will continue through November and will involve reducing the roadway to one lane during daytime hours. During off hours the road will have temporary coverings in place that may create uneven driving surfaces. Motorists and bicyclists should slow down and use caution in the area.
Construction of the Rockland County trestle will continue and include daytime pile driving to install the temporary foundation piles needed to support the platform. Pile driving will be limited to a maximum of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and, occasionally, from 12 noon to 7 p.m. on Saturdays. The trestle is a work platform that will support a crane for the construction of the westernmost section of the new bridge. The 1200-foot long platform helps reduce the amount of dredging required.
Impact pile driving will continue as part of the ongoing test pile program and will continue through October at various locations for future pile foundations during the same timeframe as above. The test pile program will verify subsurface conditions and test structural load capacities in preparation for construction of the new bridge’s permanent foundation.
The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a revised Notice to Mariners with updated safety information, including a request that boaters use the main channel, reduce wake and use extreme caution while transiting the area in the vicinity of the Tappan Zee Bridge.
The Coast Guard boating safety information can be found on the project website, NewNYBridge.com, under the boating safety icon.
On Monday, Sept. 9, and Tuesday, Sept. 10, one southbound right hand lane and shoulder on I-87/I-287 between exit 11 and the Tappan Zee Bridge will be closed from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for shoulder work. On Wednesday, Sept. 11, and Thursday, Sept. 12, one northbound right hand lane and shoulder on I-87/I-287 between exit 8 and exit 9 will be closed from 10 a.m. to 3p.m. for shoulder work.
Ongoing operations:
• Dredging operations will continue 24/7
• Test pile program
• Rockland bulkhead construction and Dock Extension at Rockland under existing bridge
• Temporary Rockland trestle construction including pile driving on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Temporary Westchester trestle construction including pile driving on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Survey inspections on existing bridge
• Mobilization at the exit 10 staging area
• Support for river-based work from the Rockland shoreline
ROCKLAND TEMPORARY TRESTLE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS
August 23, 2013 by
For immediate release: August 23, 2013
Work is scheduled to begin the week of August 26 on the Rockland trestle, which is the second temporary work platform to be constructed as part of the New NY Bridge Project.
The work will include daytime pile driving to install the temporary foundation piles needed to support the platform. Pile driving will be limited to a maximum of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and, occasionally, on Saturdays from 12 noon to 7 p.m. The trestle is a work platform that will eventually support a crane for the construction of the westernmost section of the new bridge. The 1200-foot long platform helps reduce the amount of dredging required near the Rockland shoreline
Impact pile driving will continue as part of the ongoing test pile program and will continue through October at various locations for future pile foundations. This work will be performed from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and, occasionally, on Saturdays from 12 noon to 7 p.m. The test pile program will verify subsurface conditions and test structural load capacities in preparation for construction of the new bridge’s permanent foundation.
Beginning Monday, August 26 through Wednesday, August 28, one northbound right hand lane and shoulder on I-87/I-287 between the existing Tappan Zee Bridge and Interchange 11 in Nyack will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the installation of concrete traffic barriers to delineate traffic from the construction zone to ensure safety for traveling public and work crews.
Additional geotechnical borings to support design will be conducted on the river at various locations. Operations will run 24 hours a day, Monday through Friday.
Tappan Zee Constructors (TZC) will continue dredging operations in the Hudson River as part of the New NY Bridge Project. Dredging will occur through October 31 to avoid negatively impacting migration and spawning patterns of local sturgeon populations and other fish species.
Dredging crews will work 24/7 starting from the main navigation channel end of the dredging footprint towards the shoreline on both the Rockland and Westchester County sides of the bridge. The operations will deepen the river’s shallow water level in the work zone by removing sediment from the river bottom. The dredged materials are being properly disposed of at offsite locations.
The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a revised Notice to Mariners with updated safety information, including a request that boaters use the main channel, reduce wake and use extreme caution while transiting the area in the vicinity of the Tappan Zee Bridge.
The Coast Guard boating safety information can be found the project website, www.NewNYBridge.com under the boating safety icon.
Ongoing operations:
– Test pile program
– Rockland bulkhead construction (including fence & gates) and Dock Extension at Rockland (under existing bridge)
– Temporary Westchester trestle construction including pile driving on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
– Survey inspections on existing bridge
– Mobilization at the exit 10 staging area
– Support for river-based work from the Rockland shoreline
Rockland:
TZC will be installing temporary noise barriers along the right of way adjacent to I-87/I-287 near Ferris Lane. Fencing and sidewalk work will continue along River Road in South Nyack north of the existing bridge. This work is part of the bulkhead construction area and will be performed on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. At times, River Road will be limited to one lane with flag persons in place to ensure the safe flow of traffic.
New NY Bridge Update August 16, 2013: LOAD TESTING FOR THE TEST PILE PROGRAM BEGINS; LANE CLOSURES ON BRIDGE
August 16, 2013 by
For immediate release: August 16, 2013
LOAD TESTING FOR THE TEST PILE PROGRAM BEGINS;
LANE CLOSURES ON BRIDGE
Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) will begin testing both static and lateral loads this week as part of its test pile program.
These load tests are performed to ensure piles are capable of sustaining the design load of the new bridge. Testing will be conducted over a 40-hour period.
Impact pile driving will continue this week as part of the ongoing test pile program and will continue through October at various locations for future pile foundations. This work will be performed from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and, at times, on Saturdays from 12 noon to 7 p.m. The test pile program will verify subsurface conditions and test structural load capacities in preparation for construction of the new bridge’s permanent foundation.
Overnight lane closures will also be required in both directions on I-87/I-287 and the Tappan Zee Bridge due to various construction activities.
Beginning Monday, August 19 through the morning of Wednesday, August 21, one southbound right hand lane and shoulder between exit 11 and the Tappan Zee Bridge will be closed from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. for the installation of concrete traffic barriers to facilitate the reconstruction of the Thruway maintenance ramp. Additionally, one southbound right hand lane on the Tappan Zee Bridge will be closed during this period for the installation of structural monitors.
Beginning Wednesday, August 21 through the morning of Saturday, August 24, one northbound right hand lane and shoulder between exit 9 and the Tappan Zee Bridge, as well as one northbound right hand lane on the Tappan Zee Bridge will be closed from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. for the installation of structural monitors.
Additional geotechnical borings will be conducted on the river at various locations. Operations will run 24 hours a day, Monday through Friday.
TZC will continue dredging operations in the Hudson River as part of the New NY Bridge Project. Dredging will occur through October 31 to avoid negatively impacting migration and spawning patterns of local sturgeon populations and other fish species.
Dredging crews will work 24 hours a day, seven days a week starting from the main navigation channel end of the dredging footprint towards the shoreline on both the Rockland and Westchester County sides of the bridge. The operations will deepen the river’s shallow water level in the work zone by removing sediment from the river bottom. The dredged materials are being properly disposed of at offsite locations.
The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a revised Notice to Mariners with updated safety information, including a request that boaters use the main channel, reduce wake and use extreme caution while transiting the area in the vicinity of the Tappan Zee Bridge.
The Coast Guard boating safety information can be found the project website, www.NewNYBridge.com under the boating safety icon.
Ongoing operations:
· Test pile program
· Rockland bulkhead construction (including fence & gates) and Dock Extension at Rockland (under existing bridge)
· Temporary Westchester trestle construction including pile driving on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
· Survey inspections on existing bridge
· Mobilization at the exit 10 staging area
· Support for river-based work from the Rockland shoreline
Rockland:
TZC will continue fencing and sidewalk work along River Road in South Nyack north of the existing bridge. This work is part of the bulkhead construction area and will be performed on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. At times, River Road will be limited to one lane with flag persons in place to ensure the safe flow of traffic.
DREDGING OPERATIONS BEGIN, TEST PILE PROGRAM IMPACT PILE DRIVING ONGOING
August 3, 2013 by
Project Update
For immediate release: August 2, 2013
Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) began 24 hour a day dredging operations today in the Hudson River as part of the New NY Bridge Project.
The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a revised Notice to Mariners with updated safety information, including a request that boaters use extreme caution within 1,000 feet of all construction barges as a safety precaution.
The Coast Guard boating safety information can be found the project website, www.NewNYBridge.com.
Dredging will occur over a three-month period from August 1 through October 31 to avoid negatively impacting migration and spawning patterns of local sturgeon populations and other fish species.
Dredging crews will work 24 hours a day, seven days a week starting from the main navigation channel end of the dredging footprint towards the shoreline on both the Rockland and Westchester County sides of the bridge. The operations will deepen the river’s shallow water level in the work zone by removing sediment from the river bottom. The dredged materials are being processed and properly disposed at offsite locations.
Impact Pile driving began this week as part of the ongoing test pile program and will continue over the next three months at various locations for future pile foundations. This work will be performed 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and at times on Saturdays from 12 noon to 7 p.m. The test pile program will verify subsurface conditions test structural load capacities in preparation for construction of the new bridge’s permanent foundation.
Ongoing operations:
· Test pile program
· Rockland bulkhead construction (including fence & gates)
· Dock Extension at Rockland (under existing bridge)
· Temporary Westchester trestle construction including pile driving on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
· Survey inspections on existing bridge
· Rockland and Westchester environmental monitor installations
· Geotechnical land borings
· Mobilization at the exit 10 staging area
· Support for river-based work from the Rockland shoreline
Westchester:
Limited test-boring operations will continue on Thruway property near the Irving Neighborhood in Tarrytown. The work is scheduled to be conducted between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday, August 5 through Wednesday, August 6.
Rockland:
TZC, LLC will reconstruct the sidewalk along River Road in S. Nyack north of the existing bridge. This is part of the Bulkhead construction area and will be performed between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday, August 5 and Tuesday, August 6. River Road will be limited to one lane with flag persons in place to control traffic safely.
Survey activity will occur in the southbound lanes of I-87/I-287 and will require a temporary lane closure between exit 10 and the existing bridge from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, August 5 and Tuesday, August 6.
Pile Driving Set To Begin This Week
July 26, 2013 by
For immediate release: July 26, 2013
TEST PILE PROGRAM IMPACT PILE DRIVING SET TO BEGIN,
ROCKLAND THRUWAY DOCK CONSTRUCTION GETTING UNDERWAY
Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) is scheduled to begin impact pile driving as part of the ongoing test pile operation this week. The test pile installation will continue over the next two to three months at the proposed locations of the foundations for the New NY Bridge. The test pile program will verify subsurface conditions in the river and the structural capacity of the pilings.
Under the Final Environmental Impact Statement, the hours of impact pile driving are restricted to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday and 12:00 noon to 7 p.m. on Saturday. There is no impact pile driving allowed at night or on Sundays. Noise monitors are in place along the Rockland and Westchester shorelines and the data is available at www.NewNYBridge.com.
Construction of the New York State Thruway’s temporary dock at the Rockland Maintenance facility on River Road in South Nyack will begin the week of July 29. TZC will reconstruct a maintenance dock that was damaged during Superstorm Sandy. This new dock will allow the Thruway to continue its normal maintenance work on the existing Tappan Zee as the construction activities for the New NY Bridge get underway.
Orange and Rockland Utilities will install new utility poles near River Road in South Nyack to support utility relocations which are needed for the New NY Bridge project. These operations may require temporary lane closures and will be performed by the utility.
Ongoing operations:
· Test pile program
· Rockland bulkhead construction
· Temporary Westchester trestle construction including pile driving on weekdays from
7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
· Survey inspections on existing bridge
· Rockland and Westchester environmental monitor installations
· Geotechnical land borings
· Mobilization at the exit 10 staging area
· Support for river-based work from the Rockland shoreline
Westchester:
Survey crews will be conducting surveys in the toll plaza area in Tarrytown on Wednesday, July 31 requiring temporary closures of toll lanes conducted one at a time.
Rockland:
Geotechnical boring operations to investigate subsurface soil conditions will be conducted in the northbound lanes of I-87/I-287 and will require a temporary lane closure between the existing bridge to Interchange 10 in South Nyack from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, July 29 through Wednesday, July 31. Southbound lane closures will be required from Interchange 10 to the existing bridge between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Thursday, August 1 and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, August 2.
VOTING SHOWS MAJORITY FAVOR NOISE BARRIERS FOR THE NEW NY BRIDGE
July 19, 2013 by
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Project Update For immediate release: July 19, 2013 Last month, the New York State Thruway Authority, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) invited local residents tovote on the placement of proposed noise barriers for the New NY Bridge Project. “The public has spoken and they overwhelmingly support the construction of sound reducing traffic noise barriers as part of the New NY Bridge Project,” said Brian Conybeare, Governor Cuomo’s Special Adviser for the New NY Bridge Project. “This is another way we trying to make this the most inclusive and transparent infrastructure project in the history of the state. We will continue to include input from local residents and other stakeholders as the project moves forward.” Noise barriers are recommended as a form of traffic noise abatement only if they are determined to be both feasible and reasonable. According to Thruway and NYSDOT noise policies, as well as FHWA noise regulations, once a noise barrier is deemed both feasible and reasonable, ‘benefited receptors’, defined as property owners and/or residents of properties that would receive at least a five decibel reduction in noise level as a result of the proposed noise barriers, have an opportunity to cast a vote either for or against its construction. Public meetings were held in both Westchester and Rockland counties during the week of June 23. At the meetings, Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC explained the locations and heights of the proposed walls for the areas that met the noise mitigation requirements, along with any possible aesthetic preferences. The voting results show the benefitted receptors overwhelmingly favor having noise barriers constructed as part of the New NY Bridge project. Overall, 306 ballots were sent to benefited receptors. The tabulated results from the vote appear below:
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NEW NY BRIDGE TEST PILE PROGRAM STARTS NEXT WEEK
July 12, 2013 by
For immediate release: July 12, 2013
NEW NY BRIDGE TEST PILE PROGRAM STARTS NEXT WEEK
Beginning the week of July 15, Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC will install the first test piles for the New NY Bridge.
The test pile operations will be conducted over the next three months at proposed locations for pile foundations. Work will start at the main span footings. Piles will be placed by utilizing both vibratory and impact installation techniques. The test pile program will verify subsurface conditions in preparation for the construction of the bridge’s permanent foundation.
Multiple crews will conduct night time boring operations along I-87/I-287 in both Westchester and Rockland Counties. The night time operations are necessary due to lane closure restrictions during day time hours that are in place to keep traffic flowing over the current bridge. Boring operations will begin at exit 10 in Rockland County and move west into Westchester County.
Ongoing operations
– Temporary Westchester trestle construction including pile driving on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
– Survey inspections on existing bridge
– Rockland environmental monitor installations continue
– Geotechnical land borings
– Mobilization at the exit 10 staging area
– Support for river-based work from the Rockland shoreline
Westchester:
Night time boring operations to investigate subsurface soil conditions will be conducted in the southbound shoulder of I-87/I-287 and will require a temporary right lane closure between the existing bridge and exit 9 on Friday, July 19 from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Rockland:
Night time boring operations to investigate subsurface soil conditions will be conducted in the southbound shoulder of I-87/I-287 and will require a temporary right lane closure between exit 10 and the existing bridge from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. beginning Monday, July 15 through Thursday, July 18.
Tappan Zee Bridge: Former power plant site may be used as staging area – Builder could lease 30 acres in Tomkins Cove
July 9, 2013 by
Lohud July 9, 2013
Written by: Khurrum Saeed
TOMKINS COVE — The former Lovett power plant will likely serve as a staging area to build parts of the new Tappan Zee Bridge.
Tappan Zee Constructors, the team designing and building the $4 billion replacement crossing, is in final discussions with NRG Energy to lease the long-vacant 30-acre parcel in Tomkins Cove, team spokeswoman Carla Julian said Monday.
Also, Stony Point Supervisor Geoff Finn will meet at noon Friday with Tappan Zee Constructors officials to discuss plans for the riverfront property. The meeting is purely informational since NRG owns the land and is negotiating the deal.
“I’m excited because there’ll be some activity there,” Finn said of the site, which is off of Elm Avenue. “It would certainly be good for our tax base.”
Last week, Tappan Zee Constructors withdrew a proposal to lease a 10-acre property in the Village of Haverstraw, said real-estate agent Jim Damiani, who has been working with the consortium for six months regarding use of the former site of the Empire State Chair Factory. He said the builders provided a staging area plan to the village early last month.
“I got a message from them that they were withdrawing from any further discussion,” said Damiani, who works for Rand Commercial Services in New City. “I guess they’re not interested.”
The coal-fueled Lovett plant was torn down in 2008, when the previous owner opted not to upgrade to meet state environmental regulations.
The property has an assessed value of $875,000 with a $5.5 million market value, Stony Point Assessor Bill Beckmann said. NRG pays about $315,000 in annual property taxes to the town and the North Rockland Central School District.
How much more the town stands to receive by Tappan Zee Constructors’ presence remains to be seen, and it depends on what structures are installed.
“If they add value to the real property, they’ll be taxed accordingly,” said Beckmann, who will join Finn at Friday’s meeting.
Ninety percent of the materials that will be used to build the span will arrive by barge.
Some of that will be accomplished by building some of the larger components at an off-site staging area and floating them by barge to the work site.
Dredging is scheduled for next month and work on the main span is expected to begin in October.
A spokesman for NRG did not respond to phone messages Monday seeking comment.
ONGOING PRECONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES CONTINUE ON THE NEW NY BRIDGE PROJECT
July 6, 2013 by
For immediate release: July 5, 2013
ONGOING PRECONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES CONTINUE ON THE NEW NY BRIDGE PROJECT
Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC, LLC) will continue preconstruction activities the week of July 8 in Westchester and Rockland Counties.
Ongoing operations:
– Cleaning and preparation for future construction of the Thruway’s Rockland Bulkhead
– Construction of the temporary Westchester work trestle which includes pile driving operations that will occur between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
– Survey inspections on existing bridge
– Rockland environmental monitor installations continue
– Geotechnical land borings
– Mobilization at the Exit 10 staging area
– Support for river-based work from the Rockland shoreline
Lane closures will be in place on the right lane of northbound I-87/I-287 on Monday, Tuesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for installation of instrumentation to monitor the existing bridge during construction. Lane closures will also be in place on the southbound right lane of I-87/I-287 Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the same activity.
Residents will vote on Tappan Zee Bridge noise barriers
June 28, 2013 by
LoHud June 27, 2013 Written By Khurrum Saeed
http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013306270071
About 400 Rockland and Westchester residents have until July 11 to decide whether they want noise barriers on and near the new Tappan Zee Bridge.
Four areas are under consideration for the noise walls, which will range from 10 to 18 feet in height depending on their location, a project official said.
Different neighborhoods are voting on their noise barriers in their area. The vote is legally binding under federal law.
Residents have also been asked to choose a look for the barriers that will help guide the final design.
If approved, the $2 million noise walls would be part of the new $4 billion project to replace the Tappan Zee Bridge and would be added during its five-year construction phase.
Last year, a group of South Nyack residents successfully demanded to be included in the vote since their property — Salisbury Point Cooperative — sits along the Thruway and will be even closer to the new bridge than the existing span.
“They really got smart because of the ruckus that we raised,” Salisbury Point resident John Brown said of the state Thruway Authority.
Brown planned to cast his vote Thursday in favor of adding the extra layer of noise protection and sensed most people in his complex were with him.
Salisbury Point board president Catherine McCue said she was grateful the state reconsidered and involved them in the process, along with dozens of homeowners in South Nyack and Upper Grandview. In all, 268 people in Rockland were sent ballots and 106 in Westchester.
The barriers and their appearance were discussed at a Thursday night meeting at the Best Western hotel in Nyack.
Two meetings held in Westchester earlier this week brought out about 50 residents, some from The Quay and Tappan Landing Road complexes.
In order for the barriers to move ahead, at least 50 percent of the ballot holders must vote, and a simple majority must vote in favor of building them.
Neighboring community takes sound-proofing offer; 2 more complexes consider funds to mitigate noise
June 26, 2013 by
Lohud; June 25, 2013 Written by Theresa Juva-Brown
Neighbors want more than noise reducing windows
http://www.lohud.com/videonetwork/2507049237001/TZB-neighbors-offered-noise-protections
Nearly a week after Tappan Zee Constructors offered to spend $4.2 million on noise-reducing windows and doors for some bridge neighbors, only one community has officially accepted the proposal.
Bradford Mews has agreed to Tappan Zee Constructor’s offer to shell out $1 million for special doors and windows in the South Nyack rental community, project officials confirmed.
Meanwhile, Salisbury Point in South Nyack and The Quay in Tarrytown continue to mull the offer; leaders from both groups met separately with the project team on Tuesday. The money being offered is part of a $20 million fund split between the state and Tappan Zee Constructors to pay for community improvements during construction of the new Tappan Zee Bridge.
When Tappan Zee Constructors announced the $4.2 million deal last week, leaders of Salisbury Point and The Quay slammed it for not addressing all their concerns. At The Quay, an 89-unit condominium complex, residents had asked for a pool enclosure and new fencing, in addition to the window and doors.
“It looks like it’s not going to happen and that’s very frustrating and depressing for us all,” said Alice Goldberg, president of the board.
Tuesday’s meeting with project officials focused on the types of windows Tappan Zee Constructors would pay for, she said. Goldberg said she is confident residents will reach an agreement with the builders.
The Quay’s proposal calls for windows with varying degrees of sound proofing based on the condo’s distance from the bridge construction.
Tappan Zee Constructors also denied Salisbury Point’s requests for security fencing and a pool cover. Thruway Authority spokesman Daniel Weiller criticized residents for expecting a pool dome.
“Some of the groups are asking for the project to pay for extras that have nothing to do with noise, such as a swimming pool dome, and it would be irresponsible to use the budget for the new bridge to pay for things like that,” he said in an email. “The goal is to find a fair and reasonable solution to help them install quality noise-reducing windows and doors, not to write a blank check.”
Goldberg disputed Weiller’s claim, arguing that “we have been cautious and very conservative” with the requests, adding that a cover for the pool would protect it from construction pollution.
The Quay’s residents, along with other Tarrytown and Rockland residents, are also considering designs for permanent noise barriers on the new span and around it. Officials have scheduled public meetings this week to explain options to Westchester and Rockland residents who received ballots in the mail.
Meetings will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday at 303 S. Broadway in Tarrytown and 7 p.m. Thursday at the Best Western in Nyack.
http://www.lohud.com/article/20130625/NEWS/306250099?gcheck=1
Tappan Zee Bridge: Feds, state assure South Nyack of toll removal
June 17, 2013 by
Lohud June 15, 2013; author Khurram Saeed
Federal and state authorities have assured South Nyack officials in writing that temporary equipment that will be used to collect Tappan Zee Bridge tolls electronically in South Nyack will be removed when the new crossing is completed.
The Federal Highway Administration approved a change that updates the language in the $4 billion project’s final environmental review and its official record of decision confirming the toll facility will leave its interim home at Exit 10 on the Thruway in five years or so.
The state Thruway Authority on Thursday also made its position clear in a letter to South Nyack Mayor Bonnie Christian.
“Upon completion of the new bridge with its permanent toll facilities in Tarrytown, the temporary gantry with toll equipment will be removed from Interchange 10,” project director Peter Sanderson wrote.
South Nyack officials had been demanding the guarantees because they wish to commercially redevelop the Exit 10 interchange.
Project officials have said the toll gantry is expected to be erected next year and tested for six months before being used.
An environmental monitor was installed recently at Interchange 10 so the public can keep track of noise, dust and vibration levels.
Project officials also confirmed, as first reported in The Journal News last week, that Tappan Zee Constructors will install the monitors at Bradford Mews Apartments on Piermont Avenue and Ferris Lane, a residential street in Grand View. In Rockland, there are already monitors at Salisbury Point Cooperative in South Nyack; on River Road, south of Grand View Village Hall; and near the Thruway’s Interchange 12 in West Nyack.
Preparation for the start of full-blown construction of the new parallel spans is continuing. During the next two weeks, two large barge-mounted cranes that will be used to place permanent piles for the bridge will arrive in the area. Crews will assemble and moor each crane until the test pile work begins in the middle of next month. The cranes will be stationed on the north side of the bridge closer to the Rockland side of the Hudson River. Despite the imposing size, neither of these cranes are as large as the Left Coast Lifter, which is set to arrive at the end of this year.
Project officials said work also will begin next week on the Thruway Authority’s bulkhead area along River Road in South Nyack. Work includes clearing the site and construction of a larger bulkhead that will be used for equipment staging.
Tappan Zee Bridge Update: Two more monitors planned in Rockland
June 8, 2013 by
LoHud Jun 8, 2013 Written By Khurram Saeed
A South Nyack apartment complex and a residential street in Grand View may soon be home to devices to monitor noise, dust and vibrations during construction of the new Tappan Zee Bridge.
Tappan Zee Constructors is working on finalizing details to install environmental monitors at Bradford Mews Apartments on Piermont Avenue and Ferris Lane, a project official told The Journal News on Friday afternoon.
South Nyack Mayor Bonnie Christian on said Friday morning that the monitors would be installed this weekend, but that’s not the case, the official said.
However, a monitor was recently installed at Interchange 10 of the Thruway in South Nyack, and another is set to go up next week on River Road, just south of Grand View Village Hall near Orangetown’s sewage pumping station.
That would bring to four the total number of monitors in Rockland, with two more on the horizon.
Devices were installed a few weeks ago at South Nyack’s Salisbury Point Cooperative, across from Bradford Mews, and near the Thruway’s Interchange 12 in West Nyack.
South Nyack has been working with the bridge’s design-builder to find suitable locations since TZC proposed putting up the shoebox-sized devices in front of Village Hall and Elizabeth Place Park, both in the village.
“We had them go around again and give a look,” Christian said. “They came up with these two alternatives (Bradford Mews and Ferris Lane). There may be other sites to come.”
Christian said discussions will continue with TZC about other appropriate locations so residents can keep an eye on potential quality of life disturbances during the five-year construction of the twin-span crossing.
Four environmental monitors in Tarrytown are already in place.
Data from all of the devices can be viewed at http://newnybridgegall- ery.com/noise/.
Tappan Zee Bridge: Webcams to stream construction
June 7, 2013 by
LoHud By Khurram Saeed June 7, 2013
The public will soon be able to watch the new Tappan Zee Bridge rise before their wired eyes.
Tappan Zee Constructors has hired EarthCam, a webcam technology company, to stream the five-year construction of one of the largest bridge projects in the nation. The images will be delivered in high definition over the Internet using multiple cameras.
“Everyone is interested in this project and it will help people better understand what we’re doing,” Tappan Zee Constructors spokeswoman Carla Julian told The Journal News on Thursday.
Over the years, EarthCam, based in Hackensack, N.J., has documented major construction projects for governments nationwide, including the rebuilding of the World Trade Center.
Initial plans call for placing three cameras around the project site. Julian said the locations are still to be determined as the Tappan Zee Constructors works out access issues.
She expected ultimately there would be more cameras offering detailed views. She pegged the figure at fewer than 10.
The webcams are expected to go online in the coming months to document all aspects of the $3.9 billion project.
Tappan Zee Constructors and EarthCam are still in the early stages of negotiating costs since the level of service hasn’t been determined, Julian said.
People will be able to see real-time streaming video on the project’s website, www.newnybridge.com, and share their favorite images via social media, including Facebook and Twitter. EarthCam also will edit the images into a time-lapse movie.
“It’s going to capture everything,” Julian said. “It’s going to be really cool.”
There is already some construction activity taking place in the Hudson, but it will intensify in the coming months and years, starting with the installation of the first piles that will support the new parallel spans.
Some 100 construction barges will dot the river by next year and by 2016, after the first new span opens, people will get a chance to see the existing Tappan Zee Bridge demolished.
EarthCam said project teams will keep a close eye on activities since the cameras will have robotic capabilities allowing them to remotely pan the job site and zoom in for a detailed view.
“Our team is thrilled to be the construction camera provider for the Tappan Zee Bridge replacement project,” Lisa Kelly, EarthCam’s strategic sales manager, said in a statement. “The new state-of-the-art bridge will drive economic growth to the area and we’re excited to share views of the progress with the public.”
This isn’t the first major bridge project of which EarthCam has been a part. It documented the construction of the Lake Champlain Bridge in upstate New York a few years ago and is still chronicling the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge project.
The company’s website, www.earthcam.com, also offers links to a network of live webcams around the U.S. and the world.
http://m.lohud.com/localheadlines/article?a=2013306060068&f=1166
Pre-Construction Activities Continue on the New NY Bridge Project
May 31, 2013 by
For Immediate Release: May 31, 2013
Pre-Construction Activities Continue on the New NY Bridge Project
No new pre-construction activities are slated for the week of June 3, 2013. Environmental monitors continue to be installed in Rockland County as the New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA) and Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC finalize specific installation locations. The monitors continually record noise, vibration and air quality for the duration of the project. All readings can be viewed at www.NewNYbridge.com.
Test boring operations in the Hudson River continue as does work on the temporary Westchester trestle. The trestle is a work platform that will support a crane for the construction of the new bridge. The 1,000-foot long platform reduces the amount of dredging required and allows crews to work from the water and not from the Westchester shoreline. Work on the Westchester trestle will include daytime pile driving to install the temporary foundation piles needed to support the platform. Pile driving will be limited to the hours between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Westchester:
Surveying, utility exploration and test boring work continues for the New NY Bridge Project during the week of June 3, 2013. The work being performed in the shoulder area will require a temporary right lane closure on northbound I-87/I-287 between Exit 9 and the toll plaza on Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will also be a temporary right lane closure on southbound I-87/I-287 between the toll plaza and Exit 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday.
Rockland:
Mobilization work continues at Exit 10 where Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC will store materials for construction, trailers for work operations and equipment as well as use the staging area for employee parking.
Marine support from the Rockland shoreline will continue the week of June 3, 2013.
STATE-OF-THE-ART ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING SYSTEM ONLINE FOR TZ BRIDGE
May 10, 2013 by
For immediate release: May 10, 2013
Contact: Dan Weiller (518) 471-5300
Residents kept informed by noise, vibration and air quality monitors
as first pile driving begins on a temporary work platform
As work begins on a temporary Westchester work platform for the New NY Bridge, residents will be kept informed by a first-of-its kind environmental monitoring system with results publicly posted on the internet.
“We are empowering people with information and keeping them up to date on what’s happening with this vital project,” said Thruway Authority Executive Director Thomas Madison. “We are taking unprecedented measures to mitigate noise, vibration and air quality issues and the monitoring system that is now on our website is a major part of that effort.”
As soon as Friday, May 10, Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) will begin daytime pile driving work to install the temporary foundation needed to support a trestle in the Hudson River on Thruway Authority property just north of the current bridge in Tarrytown. The trestle is a work platform that will support a crane for the construction of the easternmost 1000 feet of the new bridge. The 1000-foot long platform, which will be dismantled when the bridge is complete, helps reduce the amount of dredging required in the Hudson and allows the crews to work from the water and not from the Westchester shoreline.
TZC has installed highly sophisticated monitoring devices at locations near the project site in Westchester. These devices will record the level of sound, vibration and air quality and the data will be available to the public online at www.newnybridge.com as part of the New York State Thruway Authority’s commitment to openness and transparency.
Environmental requirements limit pile driving and other loud construction activities to a maximum of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. There will be no pile driving done on the weekends.
Because the soil under the river is so soft, the pilings will be installed using the vibration technique for the most part. Vibratory pile driving is much quieter than impact pile driving and will be less intrusive for nearby residents. Short duration impact pile driving will be used to set the piles into bedrock. TZC will also use sound mitigating shrouds and other techniques to reduce the noise levels involved.
The EPCs are intended to monitor, minimize and mitigate potential adverse effects related to construction noise, vibration and air quality associated with the project. In addition to the monitoring systems and specialized pile driving techniques, the Thruway Authority is requiring many other mitigation measures including state-of-the-art controls to limit dust and emissions and receiving deliveries of equipment and supplies mostly by barge, rather than truck.
Construction of the temporary Westchester trestle is expected to last several months. Construction of a similar work platform on Thruway property near the Rockland County shoreline is expected to begin in July.
For a direct link to the data from the monitors go to: http://newnybridgegallery.com/noise/
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WESTCHESTER TEMPORARY TRESTLE WORK CONTINUES
May 10, 2013 by
For immediate release: May 10, 2013
Contact: Dan Weiller (518)471-5300
WESTCHESTER TEMPORARY TRESTLE WORK CONTINUES
During the week of May 13, work is expected to continue on the Westchester trestle, which is the first of the temporary work platforms to be constructed as part of the New NY Bridge project.
The work will include daytime pile driving to install the temporary foundation piles needed to support the platform. Pile driving will be limited to the hours of 7 am to 7 pm Monday through Friday. The trestle is a work platform that will support a crane for the construction of the easternmost 1000 feet of the new bridge. The 1000-foot long platform helps reduce the amount of dredging required and allows the crews to work from the water and not from the Westchester shoreline. Noise, vibration and air quality monitors are in place in Westchester and data can be viewed at www.newnybridge.com.
Arborists will be evaluating trees near the project, recording the types, size and health of the trees. This information will help with TZC’s project planning and conservation efforts.
Surveying work and soil sampling for the New NY Bridge Project will continue during the week of May 13 as engineering crews conduct more design surveys at various locations in Rockland, and Westchester in the vicinity of the project, including the Westchester access road location on New York State Thruway property in Tarrytown.
Preconstruction geotechnical investigations will continue as small barge-based drilling equipment will work at various locations throughout the project footprint in the Hudson River. The crews are conducting preconstruction geotechnical surveys to determine soil conditions where future piles will be installed for the new span. Noise levels from the equipment will be at a minimum. The river-based operations will run continuously 24 hours a day Monday through Friday and possibly Saturday.
Westchester:
Limited test-boring operations will continue on land under the existing bridge and just to the north at the proposed bridge locations. These operations are being conducted on Thruway property and will not affect traffic in any way. The work is scheduled to be conducted between 7 am and 5 pm Monday through Friday.
Rockland:
At times, traffic on River Road near the South Nyack-Grand View border will be restricted to one lane during weekday daytime hours for utility investigations. Signs and flaggers will be in place to help keep traffic flowing safely.
Limited test-boring operations may start on land under the existing bridge and just to the north at the proposed bridge locations. These operations are being conducted on Thruway property and will not affect traffic in any way. The work is scheduled to be conducted between the hours of 7 am and 5 pm Monday through Friday.
Soil sampling will be conducted in the westbound shoulder area of NY State Thruway during daytime hours; this operation will not cause lane closures and should not affect traffic
Tappan Zee Bridge project: Sound barrier plans trouble neighbors
May 9, 2013 by
Lohud May 9, 2013 Written by Theresa Juva-Brown and Khurram Saeed
Tarrytown residents worry they will be bothered by work trucks.
Residents are finally getting details on how their neighborhoods will be protected during construction of the new Tappan Zee Bridge, but not everyone is convinced those measures will be enough.
In the tiny Tarrytown neighborhood of Irving, which sits next to the current bridge’s toll plaza, homeowners have asked the state for permanent sound barriers and assurances that long lines of trucks won’t rumble through their neighborhood. At a meeting with Tappan Zee Constructors and the state last week, homeowners learned a temporary wooden wall — not a concrete barrier — will be put up near Hudson Place, said Tori Weisel, president of the Irving Neighborhood Preservation Association. Several homes on Hudson Place sit next to a Thruway Authority maintenance road that will be used during the project.
Officials also said the Thruway’s dirt road will be covered with gravel. Residents are worried that won’t absorb truck vibrations as well as a hard surface, Weisel said.
It’s also still unclear how many trucks will use Van Wart Avenue to access Thruway property.
“It’s less about the construction and more about these trucks going by,” she said.
Residents were satisfied, however, to hear that the project team will conduct preconstruction surveys of properties on request. The surveys will document property conditions in case there is a later claim of damage. Homeowners on Tappan Landing Road in Tarrytown are also being offered the surveys.
In South Nyack, concerns remain about the location of devices that will track noise, dust and vibration levels.
Tappan Zee Constructors has proposed installing four devices in Rockland. Two would be in South Nyack at Salisbury Point Co-Operative and either at Elizabeth Park or South Nyack Village Hall but more may be needed, said South Nyack Mayor Bonnie Christian. The builder has proposed putting a monitor in Grand View and at Interchage 12 in West Nyack but will explore additional locations, state officials said.
The village also wants a written commitment that electronic tolling equipment set to go up on the Thruway in South Nyack will be removed after the new bridge is completed in 2018. Christian wants it added to the Thruway’s agreement with Tappan Zee Constructors.
Project officials said that the final environmental study has been changed to reflect the temporary toll location and that the permanent toll plaza will return to Tarrytown. The Federal Highway Administration recently approved the change, they said Wednesday.
Thousands of jobs, $2 billion in income forecast for region
May 7, 2013 by
LoHud May 7, 2013
Written by, Khurram Saeed and Theresa Juva-Brown
Construction of the new Tappan Zee Bridge will create the equivalent of 7,700 full-time jobs and pour $2 billion in disposable personal income into the region in the next five years, according to a new state-commissioned economic study.
“The timing is just incredible — you are talking about putting money into the pockets of working people who for the past three or four years, as a group, had major difficulties,” said Al Samuels, president of the Rockland Business Association. “This is a tremendous asset for folks to come out of the recession.”
Samuels added that when people have more money to spend, local governments also benefit.
“The sales-tax revenue that will accrue to the county and local municipalities is also a big plus,” he said. “It’s good on so many fronts.”
The project is expected to create 38,644 direct and indirect jobs as reported in “job-years,” a standard employment measure used by government on projects. A job-year is one job held for one year. So a trucck driver who works on this project for the next five years will have worked five job-years.
Each year, the project will generate roughly 2,600 construction jobs, 500 office and administrative positions, and some 700 sales and transportation-related jobs, according to the analysis conducted by the state Department of Labor and Empire State Development.
The study predicted employment spikes in management, food services and finance. Additionally, it found that a large construction project like the Tappan Zee “will spur secondary labor demand in retail trade, leisure and hospitality, and population-dependent industries such as health care.”
The study noted that additional analysis was required to figure out specific occupations, when they will be created, and how long they will be needed.
Farrokh Hormozi, an economics professor at Pace University in White Plains, predicted the actual economic impacts of the $3.9 billion five-year project will begin to be felt within a year or so.
“It’s going to boost the economy of the region,” Hormozi said. “This is the type of (project) that cannot be outsourced. … You have to hire local people. Wages and salaries will be made locally. And the impact will be felt locally.”
He said there would be a multiplier effect as workers spend their earnings in their communities. Also, local businesses may directly benefit by providing materials and services for the project or indirectly by seeing their sales increase due to increased demand. That will create income for others, he said.
“These workers, they have to eat, they have to relax and they have go shopping,” Hormozi said.
The job figures were based on $3.9 billion of spending.
“This project is one of the biggest opportunities for us to work collaboratively with local business and contractors on placing New Yorkers in new and exciting jobs,” state Labor Commissioner Peter Rivera said in a statement, adding the agency was prepared to match workers to openings and businesses.
The overwhelming majority of construction and trade jobs will go to local unions, which are covered by a project labor agreement.
But Tappan Zee Constructors, the joint venture that will design and build the new bridge, has already begun accepting résumés from job seekers on its website, http://www.tappanzeeconstructors.com/. The state Labor Department will continue to host career fairs and training to recruit workers.
“The information developed by the state Department of Labor and Empire State Development maps out in new, greater details the jobs that building this new bridge will create throughout the region,” said Thomas Madison, executive director of the New York State Thruway Authority, whose agency requested the study.
Construction of the replacement bridge will generate $3.2 billion in gross domestic product, the study said. The project will create $5.6 billion in total value of all goods produced and $3.7 billion in total personal income.
Excitement grows among Tappan Zee Bridge workers
May 6, 2013 by
Lohud.com May 5, 2013
Written by Theresa Juva-Brown and Khurram Saeed
http://www.lohud.com/article/20130505/NEWS/305050051/Excitement-grows-among-Tappan-Zee-Bridge-workers?source=nletter-news&nclick_check=1
Bobby Stackhouse feels the growing excitement for the new Tappan Zee Bridge as he fuels the boats of the first work crews on the river.
It’s just Stackhouse and about two dozen other union workers currently on site, but they will gradually get more company as thousands of laborers join the monumental effort to build the Tappan Zee replacement in the next five years.
“This is just the beginning,” said Stackhouse, who grew up in North Tarrytown and is lead steward on the project for Teamsters and Chauffeurs Local 456. “All the trades have been starving for the last five or six years — it’s been so bad. This job is like adrenaline being tapped into you. Once it gets going, it’s going to put many people back to work.”
The $3.9 billion project to replace the Tappan Zee is expected to employ roughly 2,600 full-time construction workers each year for the next five years, according to state economic models based on the cost of the project. Some of those union members may work during certain portions of the project, while others may be employed for the duration of the project.
So far, the small team that includes Stackhouse is making early preparations such as setting up staging areas on piers and testing the river soil. As the work intensifies in the coming months, Stackhouse, 59, will manage groups of truck drivers, transport equipment for repairs and keep track of supplies.
“People who are coming to this job know it’s steady work for a while, and they’ll be OK with their bills,” he said. “Everyone is very happy out here.”
From carpenters to crane operators, workers from dozens of construction specialties will all work under the same labor agreement to complete the 3-mile, twin spans by April 2018.
The deal encompasses some 50 locals and was negotiated last year between local and state union leaders and the New York State Thruway Authority. The several-hundred-page document establishes consistent policies regarding work hours, overtime rates and holidays. The common rules will save the state some $450 million, while also providing highly skilled workers for the complex job, officials say.
Longer work weeks
Many of the unions typically work 35 hours a week, with any work beyond that paid as overtime. But under the bridge’s labor agreement, the standard work week on the project will be 40 hours, either in four 10-hour days or five eight-hour days.
The wages, compensation packages and annual raises union workers receive will vary based on trade and experience. They are standard rates for their work that were negotiated between the unions and their trade councils, and are not specific to the bridge project. Workers will also receive annual raises based on trade and experience.
For example, a fully-trained ironworker specializing in the bridge’s steel structure will receive $110 an hour in total compensation. That includes $46 in wages and $64 for health and other benefits.
Workers will receive an extra $25 every day they show up an hour before the start of their shift, to give them more than enough time to catch a bus or boat to their job site. The bonus is designed to save TZC both time and money by making sure shifts start on time, officials said.
A cap on the overtime rate is another way the state expects to save money. While some unions are paid a double-time rate for overtime, all union workers on this job will be paid at time-and-a-half.
The agreement also standardizes paid holidays for workers. Some unions receive a dozen holidays on other jobs, but will get eight on this one. The deal details how to settle disputes and handle injuries and guarantees that there will be no strikes, slowdowns or picketing by labor or lockouts by management.
Even with the compromises, the deal was worth it because it will give a pool of some 40,000 union members a chance for steady work, union leaders said. That’s important for some trades that have suffered with unemployment rates as high as 40 percent in recent years.
“What’s guaranteed is that the men on the job are from (local) building trades,” said Pete Creegan, business agent for Iron Workers Ornamental Local 580, which has about 1,000 members in Westchester and Putnam counties. “It keeps the people living in the area paying their school taxes, putting their kids through school, and keeping those communities alive. Everyone benefits.”
Safety and security
While standardized rules in project labor agreements are typical, the one for the Tappan Zee project includes stiff, and in some cases unprecedented, requirements to minimize the risk of accidents, ensure top performance and keep the site secure.
“This job … requires every worker on the job, including management, including people designing the bridge in an office miles way, to be substance tested” for drug and alcohol use, Ross Pepe, president of the Construction Industry Council of Westchester and Hudson Valley, said.
“It’s the only public works project in the state, that I know of, that has a requirement for substance testing,” Pepe said.
The drug and alcohol tests will be administered before employment, on a random basis, following accidents and for reasonable suspicion. Tarrytown-based Clarity Testing will carry out the program and perform daily urine tests on site.
Because project workers will know details about the bridge’s design and structure, workers have to undergo background checks to see whether they have criminal histories, immigration issues or financial problems that could make them vulnerable to bribes, officials said.
Those entering the work zone, whether they are top managers, daily workers or visitors, will have to go through homeland security clearance ahead of time.
These safety and security measures also lower costs for liability insurance and worker’s compensation and reduce the project’s overall price tag, they said.
A diverse workforce
Women and minority workers will get special consideration as part of the labor agreement. It requires that nearly 30 percent of the total construction hours — 22.6 percent for minorities and 6.9 percent for women — go to those groups.
Though there aren’t specific requirements for this project, union leaders said they are currently working with Helmets to Hard Hats to get military veterans on the job.
Union workers will carry out the majority of the actual construction, but the labor agreement allows up to 12 percent of the workforce to include nonunion workers.
Because public money is involved, even non-union construction workers have to be paid the prevailing wage, which is set by state law.
Most of the nonunion work on the project will be related to activities outside of construction, such as public relations and information technology.
Creegan, the ironworker union leader, said the Tappan Zee project is a special opportunity for workers to accomplish a great feat.
“They accept that challenge,” he said. “What’s a better feeling than making it happen at the end of the day?”
Tappan Zee Bridge spectator areas may be set up during work
May 4, 2013 by
LoHud ; By Theresa Juva-Brown and Khurram Saeed
May 4, 2013
The massive effort to build a new Tappan Zee Bridge will create a grand spectacle on the river that likely will draw crowds of curious onlookers.
While Tarrytown has plenty of public waterfront where official viewing areas can be set up, that’s not the case across the river. Because there are no public spaces along the South Nyack shore, residents there are concerned that people will wander onto their properties to watch the $3.9 billion project take shape.
Trespassing is already a problem at South Nyack’s Salisbury Point, co-op Vice President Judy Hirschhorn said. The 120-unit riverfront complex has a front-row view of the Tappan Zee that often attracts outside visitors who make themselves at home on the complex’s sprawling lawn. Some cyclists are also notorious for urinating in Salisbury Point’s bushes, she said.
Residents worry that when heavy construction starts on the new Tappan Zee, spectators from all over will flock to their parking lots to get a glimpse of the action.
“We think it’s going to be a huge problem,” she said.
Nyack Mayor Jen Laird-White said some people might go to Nyack’s Memorial Park to get unimpeded — but distant — views of the construction.
One resident has proposed getting the project team to help overhaul Memorial Park, including moving the parking lot to Nyack Municipal Marina and building a pedestrian bridge over the inlet to connect the two areas, she said.
Meanwhile, leaders in Tarrytown are already looking at the village’s waterfront for possible viewing stations, including Losee and Pierson parks and the River Walk.
David Aukland, Tarrytown’s liaison to the project, said he envisions an area where people could not only watch construction but also learn about the project.
“We know the public is interested, and we’d rather them have clear information than have them guess,” he said.
The area, which he said would likely be created by the Thruway Authority and Tappan Zee Constructors, could include binoculars and signs that explain the work. The signs could also feature tags people scan with their smartphones to get information about local wildlife and history, he said.
That would be similar to the approach taken by another huge public works project, the reconstruction of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, which has a designated viewing area. The location offers information on the bridge’s history and great views of the self-anchored suspension portion of the new Bay Bridge East Span, said John Goodwin, spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.
Brian Conybeare, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s special adviser on the Tappan Zee Bridge project, said the project team is discussing possible viewing sites with officials on both sides of the river.
“The goal is to find safe, accessible, public areas where people can view the project and take pictures once construction gets going, but no final determination on locations has been made,” he said in an email.
In addition to asking the project team for security fencing and cameras, Salisbury officials plan to post more trespassing signs and work with South Nyack-Grand View police to keep an eye out for unwelcome visitors.
Hirschhorn said measures need to be in place soon. Dredging of the river bottom is set to start in August and will likely attract attention, she said.
“We can’t have people walking all over our property,” she said.
May 3, 2013 by
www.NewNYBridge.com
For immediate release: May 3, 2013
WESTCHESTER TEMPORARY TRESTLE CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULED TO BEGIN
Work is expected to begin during the week of May 6 on the Westchester trestle, which is the first of the temporary work trestles to be constructed as part of the New NY Bridge project.
The work will include daytime pile driving to install the temporary foundation piles needed to support the platform. Pile driving will be limited to a maximum of 7:00am to 7:00pm Monday through Friday and is expected begin on Friday May 10. The trestle is a work platform that will support a crane for the construction of the easternmost 1000 feet of the new bridge. The 1000-foot long platform helps reduce the amount of dredging required and allows the crews to work from the water and not from the Westchester shoreline.
In addition, two mooring buoys will be installed in the Hudson River on the Rockland side of the channel. These will be utilized to secure work barges and will be on site for the duration of the project.
Surveying work and soil sampling for the New NY Bridge Project will continue during the week of May 6 as engineering crews conduct more design surveys at various locations in Rockland and Westchester in the vicinity of the project, including the Westchester haul road location on New York State Thruway property in Tarrytown.
Preconstruction geotechnical investigations will continue as small barge-based drilling equipment will work at various locations throughout the project footprint in the Hudson River. The crews are conducting preconstruction geotechnical surveys to determine soil conditions where future piles will be installed for the new span. Noise levels from the equipment will be at a minimum. The river-based operations will run continuously 24 hours a day Monday through Friday and possibly Saturday.
Westchester:
Limited test-boring operations will continue on land under the existing bridge and just to the north at the proposed bridge locations. These operations are being conducted on Thruway property and will not affect traffic in any way. The work is scheduled to be conducted between the hours of 7 am and 5 pm Monday through Friday.
Rockland:
At times traffic on River Road near the South Nyack-Grand View border will be restricted to one lane during weekday daytime hours for utility investigations. Signs and flag persons will be in place to help keep traffic flowing safely.
Limited test-boring operations may start on land under the existing bridge and just to the north at the proposed bridge locations. These operations are being conducted on Thruway property and will not affect traffic in any way. The work is scheduled to be conducted between the hours of 7 am and 5 pm Monday through Friday.
Nyack Grants Variances For Proposed Luxury Hotel
May 1, 2013 by
April 30, 2013 Lohud ; Author Alex Taylor
NYACK — A proposed $19 million boutique hotel on High Avenue came one step closer to reality after the Nyack Zoning Board of Appeals on Monday issued zoning variances for the project.
The developer, WY Management LLC, had sought the village’s approval to convert a vacant manufacturing facility at 400 High Ave. into a 132-room hotel with a steakhouse, radio station and conference center.
The variance was needed to add two floors to the existing structure: a two-story, 40,000-square-foot corrugated metal building next to Oak Hill Cemetery and Exit 11 of the New York State Thruway.
Because the area is zoned as a manufacturing district, a special permit was also needed, officials said.
“Our land use board has done its usual good work,” Nyack Mayor Jen Laird-White said Tuesday. “A great idea looks like it may be coming to fruition as a great project.”
Michael Yanko and Kerry Wellington, co-owners of WY Management, declined to comment Tuesday.
Once built, the hotel will be managed by Nylo Hotels, a boutique chain with hotels in Texas and Rhode Island, with another planned for New York.
Architectural renderings of 400 High Ave. show a stylish, loft-like design, including brick and glass siding and extensive outdoor landscaping. In addition to the 184-seat restaurant, the hotel will feature a bar and fitness center.
The site was formerly occupied by Stoffel Seals Corp., a plastics
and metal manufacturer that relocated to Congers about five years ago. WY Management bought the property for a reported $4.2 million.
A Best Western — the only other hotel in the village — is a block away on Polhemus Street.
The village Planning Board will meet Monday to vote on final site approval — the last step before construction.
“Once the Planning Board gives a final they can commence the building permit process for construction,” Nyack Village Attorney Walter Sevastian said. “They’re getting close.”
The hotel is expected to open late 2014, according to the developer’s website.
Earlier this year, the Rockland County Industrial Development Agency approved exemptions on the sales and mortgage recording tax to help the project. Developers are also negotiating a payment in lieu of taxes on the site.
WY Management recently opened an office at 79 Main St. in Nyack. The developer also is converting the former MetLifeFinancial Services Building in Broxville into multifamily apartments.