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The New NY Bridge Project Monthly Newsletter_March
March 17, 2016 by
Thruway Authority Discussions with South Nyack Making Progress on Bike/Pedestrian Path Parking
April 7, 2015 by
For immediate release: April 6, 2015
Contact: Brian Conybeare 845-705-3302
Thruway Authority Discussions with South Nyack Making Progress on Bike/Pedestrian Path Parking
New York State Thruway Authority Acting Executive Director Robert Megna today announced that renewed discussions with the Village of South Nyack on parking options for the New NY Bridge project’s shared-use bike/pedestrian path (SUP) in Rockland County are progressing.
The Thruway Authority and Federal Highway Administration are undertaking an Environmental Assessment to study the parking options generated by the public and other stakeholders. Formal public hearings will be held as part of the process, once a draft Environmental Assessment is complete.
“The renewed talks with South Nyack are making substantial progress,” said Acting Thruway Authority Executive Director Robert Megna. “We want to continue working proactively with Mayor Bonnie Christian and the South Nyack Tappan Zee Bridge Task Force to find solutions for the shared-use path, parking areas and connectivity to the community that will work for all the parties involved while protecting New York taxpayers and tollpayers at the same time.”
“We continue working together on the location of the shared-use path and hopefully we will be able to come to an agreement that benefits the residents of South Nyack, the Thruway Authority and the people who will use the path in the future,” said South Nyack Mayor Bonnie Christian.
The New NY Bridge Community Benefits Program has approved a $250,000 grant for the Village of S. Nyack to study the feasibility of redesigning and redeveloping interchange 10 on I-87/287. The village is now considering several proposals from engineering firms to design and recommend economically sustainable redevelopment concepts.
The Thruway Authority and the village have agreed to continue working on these issues together as the New NY Bridge project moves forward.
For more information on the SUP parking options currently being studied in both S. Nyack and Tarrytown: http://www.newnybridge.com/documents/sup/index.html
The New NY Bridge April 2015 Newsletter
April 1, 2015 by
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Remobilizing on the Hudson River As the Lower Hudson Valley thaws out from a particularly punishing winter, the hardworking men and women of the New NY Bridge project are remobilizing on the river. |
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While frigid weather conditions have limited river work in recent weeks, Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) has been forging ahead with the parts of the bridge that anchor it to the land: the abutments. Located at each end of the crossing, the stout abutments will serve as solid foundations for the bridge and the land-side highway.
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On Feb. 28, the New NY Bridge (NNYB) project educational outreach team met with Girl Scout troops from Greenburgh and Elmsford to promote careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
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The construction of river crossings present an engineering challenge: how to build in the water?.
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TZ Bridge Project Update and Lane Closures for the Week of March 23, 2015
March 23, 2015 by
FLOATING BATCH PLANTS RETURN TO WORK ON THE NEW NY BRIDGE PROJECT
Triple-Lane Closure on Northbound New York State Thruway (I-87/I-287) During Overnight of Wednesday, Mar. 25
Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC’s (TZC) two floating concrete batch plants recently returned to the work site, passed the required testing and soon will begin pumping concrete. The batch plants were taken out of service in December after a silo failed.
The concrete plants move from location to location on the river, providing high-quality concrete where it is needed to build the New NY Bridge project. Their resumption of service will reduce the number of concrete trucks using local roads.
The following lane and exit closures are planned for next week:
Three left lanes of the northbound Thruway (I-87/I-287) will be closed from exit 9 (Tarrytown Sleepy Hollow NY Route 9) to exit 10 (Nyack South Nyack Route 9W), and including the Tappan Zee Bridge, from 9 p.m., Wednesday, Mar. 25 to 4:30 a.m., Thursday, Mar. 26. One lane will remain open during the closure. The closures are necessary to accommodate road-striping work.
Additionally, road striping will require the closure of the two left (35 mph) E-ZPass lanes at the southbound Thruway toll plaza in Tarrytown from 10 p.m. Friday, Mar. 27 to 5 a.m., Saturday, Mar. 28. The work also will necessitate the closure of the southbound exit 9 off-ramp to Route 9 from 10 p.m., Friday, Mar. 28 to 5 a.m., Saturday, Mar. 28. Traffic that would otherwise use exit 9 will be detoured to exit 8A, as shown below:
Turn-by-turn directions for southbound exit 9 closure detour:
- Exit onto the exit 8A off-ramp;
- At the end of the long ramp, turn right on westbound Route 119/White Plains Road;
- Enter westbound I-287, which merges with northbound I-87;
- Exit onto the exit 9 off-ramp;
- Turn left onto westbound Route 119/White Plains Road; and
- Turn left or right on Route 9, depending on your destination.
Preparations for the Temporary All Electronic Toll Collection system in South Nyack near exit 10 will require a single right-lane closure from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, March 23 and Tuesday, March 24.
Marine operations continue to gear up following the winter shutdown, with crews installing reinforcing steel (rebar) in the main span pile caps and the precast approach span pile caps.
With only a small percentage of piles left to install, pile driving operations will continue next week. The periodic pile driving is restricted to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday and noon to 7 p.m., Saturday.
Crews also will continue working on the bridge’s 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.
TZC will continue limited concrete placement for foundations near the South Nyack shoreline. The concrete for this work is being acquired from local concrete suppliers and delivered by truck to the Rockland trestle located off the New York State Thruway’s (I-87/I-287) 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:
- Pile cap foundation construction
- Main span foundation construction
- Landing abutment concrete work
- River Road utility work
- Support for river-based work from the Rockland trestle
- Survey inspections on the existing bridge
Boater Safety
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 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.
Tappan Zee Bridge Skeleton Takes Shape at Tomkins Cove
October 24, 2014 by
Less than 15 miles from where the new Tappan Zee Bridge is being built, its steely skeleton is being put together. Dozens of workers are assembling fortified steel cages along the Hudson River.
STONY POINT – Less than 15 miles from the Tappan Zee Bridge, the steel skeleton of its replacement is being meticulously pieced together.
“The site is perfect,” Ro DiNardo, construction services manager for bridge builder Tappan Zee Constructors, said. “It’s 18 acres, and it has all the space we needed for these activities.”
For the first time, Tappan Zee Constructors on Tuesday offered a behind-the-scenes look at the bustling staging area at Tomkins Cove, a former power plant next to the Hudson River. DiNardo said its proximity to the bridge is saving time on the $3.9 billion replacement project, which is expected to be completed in 2018.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s happening on site:
Pile reinforcement
The estimated 1,000 hollow piles that are being set in the Hudson River are being fortified with cages made of reinforced steel, also known as rebar.
Bridge columns
Workers are also assembling cages that will ultimately become bridge columns. The steel structures are produced in a factory in New Jersey and dipped in hot zinc to strengthen them. The coiled-up steel is loaded on trucks and delivered to Tomkins Cove.
Using detailed diagrams, crews of five workers spend several days creating the sections, some of which are 20 feet long.
Then, DiNardo said, comes the tricky and most dangerous part: pouring the concrete into the mold that is built around sections of steel.
“We actually have to put men inside there so we can pour from the bottom and work our way up,” said DiNardo, of New City. “There are a lot of safety concerns. We have to have an entire plan together before we put anyone in there.”
Tower work
The structures that will be used to build the bridge’s eight towers are under construction at the site, too.
Each rectangular platform, known as climbing forms, has an opening in the middle where the concrete gets poured to create the towers in sections.
A hydraulic lift will raise the structure, with the platform eventually standing more than 30 stories above water.
“As we build, this will move with us,” DiNardo said of the platform.
The climbing forms are expected to arrive at the project site by barge in February.
Improved safety
Because the staging area sits next to an active railroad, the project team and railroad officials have had to make adjustments.
In the past few months, CSX freight trains were left unattended for up to two hours during crew shift changes, blocking emergency access to the site. In one instance over the summer, a worker who had an allergic reaction to something he ate, had to be brought by boat to a medical facility in Westchester.
Tappan Zee Constructors has just finished building a foot bridge over the tracks to allow emergency responders to reach the site by land.
The bridge builder expects to use Tomkins Cove through 2017. Eventually, the site will likely be used to demobilize cranes and other equipment when the work is done.
Fast facts
Tomkins Cove staging area: 18 acres
Workers: Approximately 60 not including subcontractors
Truck traffic: 5 to 20 per day
Barge traffic: 1 to 5 per day
Distance to Tappan Zee Bridge site: 14 nautical miles
Ask us about the Tappan Zee
When: Nov. 1 at 11 a.m.
Where: Pierson Park, Tarrytown
What: Journal News/lohud transportation reporters Theresa Juva-Brown and Khurram Saeed will answer questions and listen to comments about our Tappan Zee Bridge coverage. Join them for the informal chat over coffee and snacks.
Bridge Updates and Closings
October 20, 2014 by
NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY (I-87/I-287) southbound EXIT 9 TO BE CLOSED OVERNIGHT WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY FOR PAVING OPERATIONS
Exit 9 (Tarrytown – Sleepy Hollow – US Route 9) of the southbound New York State Thruway (I-87/I-287) will be closed between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. during the overnights of Wednesday, Oct. 22 and Thursday, Oct. 23 to enable a widening of the southbound New York State Thruway (I-87/I-287) in Westchester County.
The widening of the southbound Thruway will require paving the shoulder in the vicinity of Exit 9 and is being done to facilitate a series of lane shifts occurring in the near future. Drivers bound for destinations in the Tarrytown vicinity are advised to use Exit 8A (I-87 – Elmsford – NY Route 119), continue north on northbound Route 119/White Plains Road, turn right onto to I287 west towards I-87/Tappan Zee Bridge and continue to Exit 9 (Tarrytown – Sleepy Hollow – US Route 9). Drivers bound for destinations on or near White Plains Rd/Route 119 are advised to use Exit 8A to stay on Route 119. See graphic below.
One lane of the northbound Thruway in the vicinity of Exit 9 will be closed at 8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 24. At 9 p.m., a second lane will be closed and at 10 p.m., a third lane will be closed. All lanes will reopen at 8 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 24. These closures also are related to the above-mentioned paving operation.
Motorists are reminded that the northbound Thruway lanes recently were narrowed slightly at the Westchester approach to the Tappan Zee Bridge and the speed limit was reduced to 45 mph.
Construction will continue in the Hudson River as crews place the foundation for the new bridge. Work will include pile driving between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday and noon to 7 p.m., Saturday.
A second shift of workers also will continue pile welding, pile cleanout and concrete placement operations associated with permanent foundations.
Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC, (TZC) is continuing construction of the new bridge’s landings. In Westchester, work includes drilling holes into the bedrock for the foundation of the landing. In Rockland, a similar operation is improving the strength of the soil by using aggregate piers, which are made by using a drill to mix soil and aggregate (i.e., crushed stone) to form a strong base for the new bridge’s abutment and foundation. The drilling process is less audible than impact pile driving and TZC has implemented noise-reducing measures to further minimize sound levels. The eight-week operation is anticipated to conclude in November.
Work will continue on the Rockland work trestle near the shoreline, including pile driving and cofferdam installation. The trestle will support equipment used for the construction of the westernmost section of the new bridge.
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 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.
Lane Closures for New York State Thruway (I-87/I-287):
| Monday | Oct. 20 | Southbound right lane near exit 10 | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Monday | Oct. 20 | Southbound right lane across the Tappan Zee Bridge | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Monday | Oct. 20 | Southbound right lane near exit 9 | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Tuesday | Oct. 21 | Southbound right lane near exit 10 | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Wednesday | Oct. 22 | Southbound right lane near exit 10 | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Wednesday | Oct. 22 | Southbound right lane near exit 9 | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Wednesday | Oct. 22 | Southbound right lane near exit 9 | 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. |
| Wednesday | Oct. 22 | Southbound two right lanes near exit 9 | 8 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. |
| Wednesday | Oct. 22 | I-87 Exit 9 exit ramp in Tarrytown closed | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. |
| Thursday | Oct. 23 | Southbound two right lanes near exit 9 | Midnight to 6 a.m. |
| Thursday | Oct. 23 | I-87 Exit 9 exit ramp in Tarrytown closed | Midnight to 5 a.m. |
| Thursday | Oct. 23 | Northbound right lane near exit 9 | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Thursday | Oct. 23 | Southbound right lane near exit 9 | 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. |
| Thursday | Oct. 23 | Southbound two right lanes near exit 9 | 8 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. |
| Thursday | Oct. 23 | I-87 Exit 9 exit ramp in Tarrytown closed | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. |
| Thursday | Oct. 23 | Southbound 35 mph EZ-Pass lanes in Tarrytown closed | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. |
| Friday | Oct. 24 | Southbound two right lanes near exit 9 | Midnight to 6 a.m. |
| Friday | Oct. 24 | I-87 Exit 9 exit ramp in Tarrytown closed | Midnight to 5 a.m. |
| Friday | Oct. 24 | Southbound 35 mph EZ-Pass lanes in Tarrytown closed | Midnight to 4 a.m. |
| Friday | Oct. 24 | Northbound right lane near exit 9 | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Friday | Oct. 24 | Southbound left lane near exit 9 | 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Friday | Oct. 24 | Northbound two left lanes near exit 9 | 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. |
| Friday | Oct. 24 | Northbound three left lanes near exit 9 | 11 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. |
| Friday | Oct. 24 | Southbound 35 mph EZ-Pass lanes in Tarrytown closed | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. |
| Saturday | Oct. 25 | Northbound three left lanes near exit 9 | Midnight to 8 a.m. |
| Saturday | Oct. 25 | Southbound 35 mph EZ-Pass lanes in Tarrytown closed | Midnight to 4 a.m. |
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.
Ongoing Operations:
- Permanent pile installation, including pile driving between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays, and between noon and 7 p.m. on Saturdays
- Pile Cap foundation construction
- Main Span foundation construction
- Rockland Landing construction
- Westchester landing construction
- River Road utility work
- Rockland trestle construction, including pile driving
- Survey inspections on existing bridge
- Support for river-based work from the Rockland trestle
A Visit from the Past Original Tappan Zee Engineer Visits New NY Bridge Project
October 2, 2014 by
The New NY Bridge Rockland Community Outreach Center welcomed a surprising visitor earlier this month: an engineer from the original Tappan Zee Bridge construction team. Jerry Sondack was in his late 20s when he helped build the existing bridge more than half a century ago. Now, as the replacement bridge rises out of the Hudson River, the 90-year-old World War II veteran stopped by to learn how the new structure is being engineered to meet the needs of the growing region.
As a young man living in New York City in the 1950s, Sondack heard about the Thruway’s plans for a new bridge and was eager to contribute. He approached engineers from Madigan-Hyland, the engineering firm that built the Tappan Zee Bridge, asking how he could get involved.
Eventually, Sondack was engaged full time on the project. One of the many former military men who worked on construction of the Tappan Zee, he says their experience in America’s armed forces helped foster a safe and efficient working environment amid the immense construction equipment and materials.
Sondack’s day-to-day activities included surveying the Tappan Zee Bridge’s caissons, which are hollow concrete bases that support much of the bridge.
Now, as the region’s growing population increases demands on the aging Tappan Zee Bridge, Sondack told project officials, “[Rockland] county needs a bridge of greater capacity; the old bridge won’t be able to handle this in the future. We need a new bridge that will sustain the flow of people into Rockland in the years ahead.”
Sondack observed the scale of the New NY Bridge project evokes the project he worked on all those years ago. “When you take on a project this grand, the amount of coordination and tight-knit supervision is extraordinary,” he noted.
Sondack’s work on the landmark Tappan Zee Bridge project boosted his career, helping him land future jobs and pursue other business opportunities. After the project’s completion, he settled in the Spring Valley area of Rockland County for over a decade. Now as a retiree, he looks forward to crossing the new bridge when the first span opens in 2016.
The New NY Bridge Community Outreach Centers in Westchester and Rockland counties are open seven days a week. For locations and hours, visit NewNYBridge.com/contac
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. Bridge: State cops move to Rockland from Tarrytown
August 12, 2014 by
LoHud august 8, 2014 Theresa Juva-Brown, tjuva@lohud.com
If you’re looking for the state police station in Tarrytown, be prepared to drive across the Tappan Zee Bridge to Rockland.
Troopers have moved to 160 N. Route 303 in West Nyack, where they will share a 42,000-square-foot building with 28 Thruway Authority employees for the next four years. It also is housing the headquarters of Zone 1, which includes three state police barracks in the region.
The Thruway and state police leave behind an 18,000-square-foot building on Route 9 that will be torn down in the next year to make way for Tappan Zee Bridge construction activities.
“We were over there for 50-plus years in that barracks,” said state police Capt. Richard Mazzone, commander of Zone 1. “The move — when you’ve been in the building that long — is certainly a little difficult, but we certainly planned it well, and we’ve made the move rather seamless.”
Though the Tarrytown station is now in Rockland, it has retained its Westchester identity.
“We are referring to it as the Tarrytown barracks,” Mazzone said. “This is a temporary facility.”
In 2018 after the new Tappan Zee Bridge is completed, state police and the Thruway Authority will move back to Tarrytown to separate locations that have yet to be built.
For the past month, troopers have been settling into the transformed warehouse, the former Journal News printing plant. The new building has its perks — a lot more space — but also drawbacks — a lack of windows and natural light.
Mazzone said he doesn’t know of any problems with people finding the new location, which is a couple miles from the Tappan Zee, unlike the old barracks.
“As far as the 100 miles of roadway in Zone 1, the bridge is one of the most critical pieces of roadway,” he said. “It’s definitely going to be nicer when we get back in the new facility, where I can look out the window and actually see the bridge.”
That will be especially important because the new 3-mile crossing will have a path for cyclists and pedestrians.
“We’re certainly anticipating some additional responsibilities with the shared-use path,” Mazzone said.
PROJECT UPDATE FOR BOATERS
August 12, 2014 by
NEW NY BRIDGE PROJECT ESTABLISHES SAFE CHANNEL FOR PIERMONT BOATERS
Following collaboration with the U.S. Coast Guard, the New NY Bridge project team has installed channel markers near Piermont to help guide recreational boaters to and from the Hudson River Main Channel.
Soil borings will begin in South Nyack near the intersection of S. Broadway and Cornelison Ave. during the week of August 11 to inform preliminary design options. The samples of material will be taken in different areas to help designers understand subsurface conditions that may be experienced during construction. Some survey activities are also being performed to support these design investigations. These operations require temporary lane closures and traffic control measures including flaggers to maintain safety and movement of local traffic.
Construction will continue in the Hudson River as crews place the foundation for the New NY Bridge. Work will include pile driving between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday and 12 noon to 7 p.m. on Saturday.
A second shift of workers will also continue pile welding, pile cleanout and concrete placement operations associated with permanent foundations.
Sheet pile driving at locations on land and near the Rockland landing is temporarily on hold due to high noise levels from the operation. Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) continues to implement additional noise-reducing measures at sheet pile driving operations at the Rockland Landing and in the river at one of the closest piers to the shoreline. Sheet pile driving operations will continue as soon as noise is at an allowable level.
Work will continue on the Rockland work trestle near the shoreline, including pile driving. The trestle will support equipment used for the construction of the western-most section of the new bridge.
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 five 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 this very active construction zone. The GPS tracking map is for informational purposes and not intended for navigation.
Mariners 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.
Lane Closures for New York State Thruway (I-87/I-287):
| Monday | Aug 11 | Northbound, Left Lane near Exit 9 | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Monday | Aug 11 | Northbound, Right Lane approaching the Tappan Zee Bridge | 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. |
| Tuesday | Aug 12 | Southbound, Left Lane approaching the Toll Plaza and Left hand EZ-Pass Lanes. | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Tuesday | Aug 12 | Northbound, Right Lane approaching the Tappan Zee Bridge | 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. |
| Wednesday | Aug 13 | Northbound, Left Lane near Exit 9 | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Wednesday | Aug 13 | Northbound, Right Lane approaching the Tappan Zee Bridge | 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. |
| Thursday | Aug 14 | Southbound, Right Lane near Exit 9 | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Thursday | Aug 14 | Northbound, Right Lane approaching the Tappan Zee Bridge | 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. |
| Friday | Aug 15 | Southbound, Right Lane near exit 9 | 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. |
| Friday | Aug 15 | Northbound, Right Lane approaching the Tappan Zee Bridge | 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. |
Ongoing Operations:
- Permanent pile installation, including pile driving between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays, and between noon and 7 p.m. on Saturdays
- Pile Cap foundation construction
- Main Span foundation construction
- Rockland Landing construction
- Westchester Landing construction
- River Road utility work
- Rockland trestle construction, including pile driving
- Survey inspections on existing bridge
Support for river-based work from the Rockland trestle
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
Tappan Zee viewing areas coming to Nyack, Tarrytown
April 8, 2014 by
LoHud; The Journal News Khurram Saeed, ksaeed@lohud.com2:15 p.m. EDT April 7, 2014
Memorial Park in Nyack and RiverWalk Park in Tarrytown will offer close vantage points to check out what’s happening on the river or the perfect background for selfies.
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Love it or hate it, construction of the new Tappan Zee Bridge is sure to draw huge crowds over the coming months and years.
Not only are two spans going up, but how many of us have had a chance to see a mega-project like this rise before our collective eyes?
While both Rockland and Westchester offer numerous lovely vantage points from their shores, the official go-to viewing sites will be in Nyack’s Memorial Park and RiverWalk Park in Tarrytown. Platforms with binoculars, signs and seating are expected to open sometime this summer.
“People are going to come so we might as well plan for it,” Tarrytown Village Administrator Mike Blau said. Both villages will receive $50,000 through the project’s $20 million community benefits programs, which is equally funded by the state Thruway Authority and Tappan Zee Constructors, the team designing and building the $3.9 billion crossing.
The Tarrytown viewing area will be set up at the end of West Main Street, adjacent to Pierson Park. There’s already a round deck there, surrounded by a stone wall. It can comfortably fit 15 people, Blau said.
At least two binoculars on stands will be in place, along with signs about local history and information about the construction equipment in the water.
“When you see something come out of the river, I think a lot of people will be curious and will want to go look at it,” Blau said.
Both character-rich villages also are in line to cash in from the visitors through 2018, when the project is expected to wrap up.
“We see it as a unique economic opportunity,” Nyack mayor Jen Laird-White said. “The more people that come to look at the bridge, the more they’ll stop in Nyack and eat lunch or have a cocktail or buy something in our stores.”
The village was already planning a major renovation of its fishing pier, with $150,000 already in hand from New York’s state department.
Measuring 90 feet long by 30 feet wide, the current pier, lined with gravel and bordered by large boulders, will be transformed into a destination with a wood surface, decorative lighting, wood rails, fixed and moveable benches and tables and a curved end resembling a boat.
The project still has to be bid and construction could start as early as June, Nyack Village Administrator Jim Politi said.
The mayor said there’s some talk of a having a temporary stop-gap measure until then so people have someplace to look out on the Hudson, especially with the expected arrival of the humongous floating crane known as the Left Coast Lifter during the next several weeks.
“People love to watch things getting built,” Laird-White said.
Twitter: @ksaeed1
TZ Task Force Nears Final Meeting
February 26, 2014 by
For the past year, the Tappan Zee Bridge Mass Transit Task Force has been
developing recommendations for services on the new bridge.
Times Herald-Record
Published: 2:00 AM – 02/26/14
TARRYTOWN — The Tappan Zee Bridge Mass Transit Task Force will hold its final meeting Friday and release the short-, mid- and long-term recommendations that its 31 members have developed over the past year.
The recommendations, contained in a 26-page executive summary, offer no surprises and no guarantees that any of them will ever be implemented. The summary will be followed next month with a report that details the actions that Rockland and Westchester counties could take to advance the short-term recommendations for new express bus routes as well as estimates of potential costs.
The task force has never identified a source of funding for transit improvements, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s staff has forcefully steered members away from any suggestions with hefty price tags on the grounds that it can’t afford a new bus rapid transit or commuter rail system and a new $3.9 billion bridge.
Recommendations
The Tappan Zee Bridge Mass Transit Task Force will formally present the recommendations that have been developed over the past year Friday. They include:
Short-term (between now and the new bridge’s completion in 2018)
• Modify existing bus service in Rockland and Westchester to create seven express routes between Suffern and Nanuet and Tarrytown, White Plains and Yonkers, and between White Plains and Tarrytown, Port Chester, Valhalla and The Bronx.
• Install technology that manages traffic flow through ramp metering, signal prioritization and queue jumping, as well as a bus-only lane on the new bridge, to improve travel times.
• Use specially designed buses to differentiate the new service from existing services, and adopt a common fare structure.
• Advance studies of a transit hub in White Plains, reconstruction of the Thruway’s Interchange 10 in South Nyack and construction of a new Thruway interchange at Route 59 in Monsey. Mid-term (up to 15 years after the new bridge’s completion)
• Create a White Plains transit hub around the train station.
• Reconstruct Interchange 11.
• Construct a bus station in the Thruway median and a pedestrian bridge from the Palisades Center.
• Make improvements to Rockland train service on the Pascack Valley and Port Jervis lines. Long-term (more than 15 years after the new bridge’s completion)
• Pursue revival of passenger rail service on the now freight-only West Shore line in Rockland.
• Consider development of Rockland-to-Westchester commuter rail or light rail.
“We’re not getting a 21st century bridge if we’re not getting mass transit,” said Nancy Proyect, president of the Orange County Citizens Foundation. “We’re not really doing BRT; we’re doing express buses. It’s not a 21st century solution for a 21st century bridge or a 21st century state.”
Proyect, who has advocated for new transit services in the Tappan Zee corridor over the past decade and attended many of the task force’s meetings, predicted the state and the region will come to regret this failure to fund significant improvements in conjunction with the new bridge’s construction.
Before Gov. Cuomo took office and fast-tracked the TZB’s replacement, the state had been pursuing a true BRT system with dedicated travel lanes and stations across the two counties that buses from Orange County could have used. But Cuomo eliminated transit elements from the project, citing high costs and ample opportunity for adding services in the future to what would be a “transit-ready” bridge.
Rockland and Westchester counties then forced Cuomo to form the task force to keep the prospect of transit improvements alive in exchange for their support of the new bridge.
The meeting will be held at 9:30 a.m. Friday at the Tarrytown Senior Center at 240 W. Main St., on the village’s waterfront.
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140226/BIZ/402260341/-1/NEWSLETTER100
WORK PROGRESSES ON RELOCATION OF NEW YORK STATE POLICE AND THRUWAY AUTHORITY TEMPORARY OPERATIONS FACILITIES
February 8, 2014 by
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For immediate release: February 7, 2014 Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) will ramp-up facility and site improvements in preparation for the temporary relocation of the New York State Police and New York State Thruway Authority maintenance facilities. The State Police and Thruway Authority operations will relocate from their current locations on South Broadway in Tarrytown, and Dockside off of River Road in South Nyack, respectively, to the old Journal News building, located off of exit 12 on Route 303 in Clarkstown. TZC is in the process of improving the building and surrounding site in anticipation of temporarily moving the operations early this summer. Plans for a permanent replacement facility in Tarrytown for both the State Police and the Thruway Authority are currently being designed.The existing facilities need to be removed to make way for construction of the New NY Bridge. Severe winter weather and icy conditions necessitate suspension of TZC’s marine operations. Work will resume on the river once temperatures rise and icy conditions allow for safe operations. During the suspension, TZC will maintain a safety crew that will monitor the weather’s impact on the site, reassessing conditions daily. Operations continue on both shore lines and include the creation of the hundreds of steel pipe piles and steel reinforcement materials for the bridge’s foundations.
Mariners should be aware that TZC will continue installing permanent piles in the vicinity of the side channels under the existing bridge, weather permitting. 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. Additional 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. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued a modified permit for additional temporary mooring locations during construction of the new 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 may temporarily prohibit all vessel traffic in the RNA for safety purposes. The Coast Guard boating safety information and the modified mooring permit map can be found on the project website at NewNYBridge.com under the “Boater Safety” icon. Ongoing Operations (weather permitting): • Rockland access ramp modifications
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New NY Bridge Update January 03, 2014: NEW NY BRIDGE PROJECT SUSPENDS OPERATIONS TODAY, TOMORROW DUE TO WINTER STORM
January 3, 2014 by
For immediate release: January 03, 2014
NEW NY BRIDGE PROJECT SUSPENDS OPERATIONS TODAY, TOMORROW DUE TO WINTER STORM
Due to severe weather conditions, Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC), suspended scheduled project operations for today and tomorrow, but a small crew remains on site to continuously monitor conditions and respond immediately to any weather-related issues.
Normal operations are scheduled to resume Monday, as crews continue construction of the foundation of the New NY Bridge with the ongoing installation of permanent piles.
Subsurface utility investigations will take place in Tarrytown the week of Jan. 6. To facilitate this operation, the northbound right-hand lane of the New York State Thruway (I-87/I-287) near the approach to the Tappan Zee Bridge in Tarrytown will be closed on Monday, Jan. 6 and Tuesday, Jan. 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
>From Tuesday, Jan. 7, through Thursday, Jan. 9, the northbound right-hand lane and shoulder of the Thruway (I-87/I-287) near exit 10 in Nyack will be closed from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The same section of roadway will be closed on Friday, Jan. 10, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., to allow for work on the northbound maintenance ramp.
Mariners should be aware that Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (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 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 at NewNYbridge.com under the “Boater Safety” icon.
Ongoing Operations:
• Rockland access ramp modifications
• Armoring of dredge channel
• River Road utility work
• Test pile program
• Permanent pile installation
• Temporary Rockland trestle construction, including pile driving on weekdays 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
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
New Tappan Zee Bridge spurs interest in nearby commercial parcels; Vacant commercial sites now sold, leased
October 15, 2013 by
LoHud October 15, 2013 Written by Theresa Juva-Brown
The Tappan Zee Bridge replacement project is giving new life to vacant commercial properties that have languished since the Great Recession.
The site of the former Lovett power plant in Stony Point, for instance, sat unused for years before bridge builder Tappan Zee Constructors recently signed a lease with NRG Energy to assemble bridge pieces there. As part of the deal, Stony Point could collect up to $500,000 in permit fees over the next five years.
It’s been a similar situation in West Nyack, where the former Journal News printing plant at 160 N. Route 303 hasn’t had a tenant in three years, said Timothy Hauser of the Hauser Bros., the real estate investment company that owns the site.
That will change this spring, when state police and the New York State Thruway Authority temporarily move from Tarrytown to the 42,000-square foot warehouse that is currently being renovated.
Tappan Zee Constructors is relocating those operations because it plans to tear down the current barracks/Thruway offices on North Broadway and use the area for bridge construction equipment.
“We’re giving them a piece of property at a fair market value rate, and they are taking the expenses off my lap that I have to struggle to pay,” Hauser said of the parcel on Route 303 near Thruway Exit 12. Just before the deal was reached in April, the asking price for the warehouse was $6.25 per square foot, according to the website of Rand Commercial Services, which was involved with the agreement.
Hauser said the five-year lease could be extended, but for now the site’s future remains wide open.
“It’s one of the best locations in the entire county for any type of business — a car dealer, hotel. It’s a discussion already,” he said.
The recent deals, even if they are for just five years, help the local real estate industry but also the region’s optimism about the overall economy, said Paul Adler, vice president of Rand Commercial.
“People are understanding that this is the beginning of the growth,” he said. “What we’re seeing is just enough to nudge us out of this recession.”
“There is income, and there is enough time to plan what to do after five years now that the landlord has cash flow,” he added. “These 5-year injections of confidence in the market are going to spur smart growth.”
The new bridge, especially the thousands of workers the project will bring, helped convince Howard Josephs to purchase a commercial parcel in Nyack last month.
Josephs, a partner with Josephs Group, bought slightly less than an acre near Route 59 and Waldron Avenue.
A gas station and fast food joint once operated there, but the site has been dormant for years, he said.
After the land is remediated this winter, he plans to build a 5,000-square foot restaurant and retail center.
He declined to disclose how much he paid for the site.
“It’s a very busy corner, and we see it as the gateway to Nyack,” he told The Journal News. “I think the bridge (project) will definitely bring a lot of people for a number of years.”
The project is also giving a lift to property owners in Westchester.
Tappan Zee Constructors moved into its main office on White Plains Road in Tarrytown this spring and is leasing a satellite office on the grounds of Hudson Harbor, a residential complex on the Tarrytown waterfront.
Farrokh Hormozi, an economics professor at Pace University in Pleasantville, said property owners who are leasing instead of selling is a sign that they expect their assets to gain significant value after the new bridge is completed. He said more businesses and people will want to live and work near the future Tappan Zee. “It’s all facilitated by a more comfortable ride across the bridge,” he said.
Read complete article here:http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/201310142341/NEWS/310140063
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
ROCKLAND BULKHEAD CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN–TEST PILE PROGRAM CONTINUES
July 19, 2013 by
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE; JULY 19, 2013
Construction of the Rockland Bulkhead will begin next week as crews enlarge the work platform in the New York State Thruway Authority’s Rockland maintenance area located on River Road in South Nyack.
The bulkhead will be part of the Thruway’s permanent dock and serve as the access point for Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC’s (TZC) Rockland trestle. The trestle is the support platform that will allow TZC to build the foundations for the new bridge near the Rockland shoreline without dredging in that area. TZC will utilize the bulkhead for support of construction throughout the entire project.
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.
Test pile driving operations will be conducted over the next three months at proposed locations for pile foundations. 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 directions in 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 began at exit 10 in Rockland County and continue to move west into Westchester County and then back to Rockland for one final boring location.
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
– Extension of Thruway’s Rockland maintenance dock
Westchester:
Night time boring operations to investigate subsurface soil conditions will be conducted in the southbound shoulder of I-87/I-287and will require a temporary right lane closure between the existing bridge and exit 9 on Tuesday, July 23, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Northbound lane closures will be required from exit 9 to the existing bridge on Wednesday, July 24, and from exit 9 to exit 11 in Rockland County on Thursday, July 25, and Friday, July 26. 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 on Monday, July 22, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
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.
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.
Holiday Construction Schedule for TZ Bridge
June 29, 2013 by
For immediate release: June 28, 2013
NO WORK SCHEDULED JULY 4–NEW NY BRIDGE CELEBRATES INDEPENDENCE DAY
Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) will not work on July 4 in observance of Independence Day.
Preconstruction activities will continue throughout the week; however, TZC will have no lane closures in order to keep traffic moving on the Thruway.
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 weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (except for July 4)
– 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:
Limited geotechnical analysis boring operations continue this week on Thruway property and will not require lane closures as work will be performed behind barriers. Work may be scheduled between the hours of 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Rockland:
Limited geotechnical analysis boring operations continue this week on Thruway property and will not require lane closures as work will be performed behind barriers. Work may be scheduled between the hours of 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
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.
Environmental sensors to be installed near Tappan Zee construction
April 30, 2013 by
Lohud.com; By Khurram Saeed and Theresa Juva-Brown
April 30, 2013 TARRYTOWN — As the Tappan Zee Bridge project continues to ramp up, crews this week will begin installing environmental monitors that will allow residents to track noise, dust and vibration levels during the five years of construction.
The sophisticated shoebox-sizes devices with special sensors will be placed on top of poles at eight locations — four in Tarrytown and four in South Nyack. Losee Park in Tarrytown is set to get the first one by Wednesday.
Devices also will be installed at the Quay, an 89-unit condo complex in Tarrytown, south of the bridge in the neighborhood of Irving, and on New York State Thruway Authority property near South Broadway, state officials said.
Tappan Zee Constructors, the team engineering and constructing the $3.9 billion bridge, the Thruway Authority and community leaders are working to pin down specific locations for the devices in Rockland County, said Brian Conybeare, a special adviser on the project.
“The installation process is just getting under way, but once construction starts the public will be able to view the data from the monitoring stations 24 hours a day on our website, www.newnybridge.com,” he said.
Sensors devoted just to measuring construction vibrations have already been installed on the piers of the existing Tappan Zee Bridge, officials said.
Among the likely Rockland locations to receive a monitor is the 120-unit Salisbury Point Cooperative in South Nyack. TZC also wants to add a device at South Nyack Village Hall, but a village representative said officials had not been consulted about it.
Jerry Ilowite, head of South Nyack’s Tappan Zee Bridge task force, said TZC was supposed to present a monitoring and mitigation plan that would let the village weigh in on the best locations for the devices.
“I have no idea what they’re going to monitor or where or why they’re choosing the locations that they are,” Ilowite told The Journal News on Monday. “We have had no opportunity to contribute at all.”
After The Journal News inquired about the situation, a TZC representative called Ilowite on Monday afternoon to schedule a meeting.
The project team also plans to start taking photos and reports of property conditions before construction starts. This is done in case property owners later claim vibrations from the work damaged their homes.
Tori Weisel, president of the Irving Neighborhood Preservation Association, said about a dozen Irving residents plan to meet with TZC officials Wednesday to discuss which homes will be eligible for preconstruction surveys.
Meanwhile, the state has started to install new fencing along Van Wart Avenue to shield homes from traffic on the Thruway maintenance road. Weisel said more steps are needed.
“There is progress … but the true issue is not that fencing — it’s sound barriers and making sure our foundations are not rocked and cracked,” she said
State Cops To Relocate During T.Z. Rebuilding – Tarrytown Barracks Will Move To W. Nyack
April 27, 2013 by
LoHud.com April 27, 2013
Written by Theresa Juva Brown
http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/201304262159/NEWS/304260115
Tappan Zee Constructors is finalizing a deal that would temporarily move state police and Thruway Authority facilities from Tarrytown to West Nyack during construction of the new Tappan Zee Bridge, state officials confirmed Friday.
TZC is about to sign a lease for a 42,000-square-foot warehouse at 160 N. Route 303. It is the former site of The Journal News Rockland printing operation and is now owned by Hauser Brothers, a construction contracting group.
This latest deal comes just weeks after Tappan Zee Constructors moved hundreds of project employees to new, leased office space on Old White Plains Road in Tarrytown.
“It’s exciting,” said Paul Adler, vice president at Rand Commercial Services, which is handling the West Nyack deal. “Folks, particularly in commercial real estate, have been suffering. … To finally see the light at the end of the tunnel — and it’s not a train coming at you — is critically important.”
As part of the bridge project contract, TZC will tear down the existing state police and Thruway buildings on South Broadway and use the land as a construction staging area.
After the $4 billion project is completed, TZC will rebuild those facilities. In the meantime, it has agreed to pay to relocate those agencies.
The asking price for the West Nyack warehouse was $6.25 per square foot, according to a listing on Rand’s website.
Adler said Rand has been preparing to assist with the space needs of the Tappan Zee project since last year, including setting up a Web page, www.tappanzeebridgeinfo.com, which advertises various types of available properties in Westchester and Rockland.
In addition to commercial properties, Adler expects a growing demand for housing as project workers arrive in the area. That will benefit everyone, he said.
“Everything from the dry cleaners to the pizza shop to restaurants and hotels, all of them get a shot in the arm,” he said. “Coming out of the long, dark, deep recession, this is just the kind of bump people need to restart the engine.”
In fact, Wedged-in Deli and Catering at 605 Old White Plains Rd., not far from the new TZC office, is already getting a bump as occupants of the newly filled office space turn to the family operated business for their food needs.
“They have been ordering some catering from us and coming in during lunchtime,” deli manager Harrison Yu said. “It’s helping us, but we are definitely expecting more as construction goes full on.”
Brian Conybeare, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s special adviser on the project, called such signs “just the beginning of the positive economic impact” the project will have on the region.
New NY Bridge Project Update April 19, 2013
April 19, 2013 by
April 19, 2013
New NY Bridge surveying crews to conduct multiple operations
Surveying work for the New NY Bridge Project will continue during the week of April 22 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.
Installation of construction monitoring devices is planned at several locations this week. These devices, which monitor vibration, noise, and air quality, will be in place for the duration of the project to record construction activity impacts.
Preconstruction surveys of properties located near the construction will begin next week. These operations will be conducted by engineering teams and will involve photographing the exterior and interior of structures. Tappan Zee Constructors is coordinating with the property owners for access.
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:
There are no land-based boring operations scheduled for the Rockland area for the week of April 22.