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.