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The New NY Bridge Newsletter for January 2017
January 5, 2017 by
The New NY Bridge Newsletter November 2016
December 5, 2016 by
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New NY Bridge October Newsletter
October 11, 2016 by
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New NY Bridge Project August 2016 Newsletter
August 5, 2016 by
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The outline of the new twin-span crossing is emerging this summer as the project continues to make remarkable progress on the Hudson River. The Rockland and Westchester approaches continue to grow with rows of steel girders and hundreds of precast road deck panels. At the main span towers, crews are also installing sections of steel and roadway, and preparing the area for the new stay cable system.
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The New York State Thruway Authority announced that Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC has completed installation of the first stay cables on the New NY Bridge project. The stay cables, along with the 419-foot towers, will be the most prominent features of the new 3.1-mile structure. The first two stay cables were installed by TZC on the new northbound bridge’s main span on Thursday, July 21, 2016.
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In just half a year, Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC has transformed the New NY Bridge project site by connecting piers, installing road deck panels and doubling the height of the new main span towers. The iconic structures now rise above the existing Tappan Zee Bridge, with TZC preparing to install the first of nearly 200 stay cables.
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With summer in full swing, the New NY Bridge project is making its most visible advancements to date. Those keen on observing the progress firsthand have a “front row seat” to the action, through the project’s viewing platforms and outreach centers in Tarrytown and Nyack.
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NEW NY BRIDGE APRIL 2016 MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
March 29, 2016 by
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The New NY Bridge February Newsletter!
February 4, 2016 by
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE ISSUE! |
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Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) recently installed the 650th concrete road deck panel for the westbound span. TZC began placing the panels in early October and is on track to install an additional 6,000 panels by year’s end. The work is occurring on top of recently-installed steel-blue girders, which continue to advance across the Hudson River.
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The New NY Bridge Newsletter October 2015
September 29, 2015 by
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Building on remarkable construction achievements so far, Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) is now beginning work on the new bridge’s striking main span towers. Utilizing self-climbing jump forms, TZC will construct the 419-foot towers in continuously-rising segments throughout the coming year.
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In addition to employing more than 3,000 people to date, the nation’s largest bridge and highway project is enlisting the talents of the next generation of engineers, designers and builders. Through ongoing college internship programs, both the New York State Thruway Authority and Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC are engaging bright young minds to learn from, and contribute to, the New NY Bridge project.
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Bridge builders are using 3D technology to create the New NY Bridge in a virtual world. By utilizing state-of-the-art building information modeling (BIM), designers can handle an astonishing amount of information with the utmost efficiency.
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The New NY Bridge project educational outreach initiative recently kicked off its third year with a focus on the teamwork and innovation required to build the nation’s largest bridge and highway project. As in previous years, the outreach team will engage students throughout the Hudson Valley and beyond, visiting classrooms and hosting outdoor lectures at the project’s construction viewing platforms in Rockland and Westchester counties.
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The New NY Bridge July Newsletter
July 2, 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.
TZ Bridge Traffic Updates For the Week of June 15, 2015
June 15, 2015 by
For immediate release: June 12, 2015
CONSTRUCTION STARTING ON NOISE BARRIERS ALONG SOUTHBOUND NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY (I-87/I-287) IN SOUTH NYACK
After months of preparation, crews will begin installing foundations for noise barriers along the southbound New York State Thruway (I-87/I-287) 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.
Continued Overnight Triple-Lane Closures of Southbound Thruway
Weekday overnight triple-lane closures of the southbound Thruway will occur from Monday night, June 15 through Saturday morning, June 20. Closures will start at 8 p.m. with the closing of one lane near exit 11 (Nyack – South Nyack – US Route 9W) to the Tappan Zee Bridge, followed by a second lane at 9 p.m. and a third at 11 p.m. All lanes will reopen by 6 a.m. the following weekday. The closures on Friday, June 19 will start with a single lane at 9 p.m., a second lane at 11 p.m. and a third at 11:59 p.m. All lanes will reopen by 8 a.m., Saturday, June 20.
Triple-lane closures of the southbound Thruway in the same area also are planned for the overnight of Saturday, June 13, with a single lane closing at 7 p.m., followed by a second lane at 11 p.m. and a third at 1 a.m., Sunday, June 14. All lanes will reopen by 11 a.m., Sunday, June 14.
All planned work is subject to postponement due to weather conditions.
Single-Lane Closures of Northbound Thruway During Morning Commuting Periods on June 18 and 19
Single-lane closures of the northbound Thruway will occur on Thursday, June 18 and Friday, June 19. The closures will start at 5 a.m. near the Tappan Zee Bridge to exit 11 (Nyack – South Nyack – US Route 9W). The lane will reopen by 2 p.m. both days.
River Road in South Nyack
River Road utility work will continue during the week of June 15. 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.
Construction of pier 1 located near River Road in South Nyack will continue with the installation of sheet piles. The sheet piles support the surrounding soil while the foundation for the new bridge pier is constructed. Pile driving is restricted to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday and noon to 7 p.m., Saturday. TZC is implementing noise-reducing measures, including sound-absorptive temporary noise barriers, to protect nearby residents. The projects environmental compliance team will be on site to monitor noise levels during the operation.
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:
- 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
Boater Safety
During the summer months, Westchester and Rockland Marine Units will add extra patrols to monitor the construction zone and encourage all boaters to obey the established U.S. Coast Guard safety protocols.
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.
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.
The New NY Bridge Newsletter for May 2015
April 28, 2015 by
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SUPER CRANE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETES FIRST LIFT ON
April 24, 2015 by
NEW NY BRIDGE PROJECT
I LIFT NY hoists massive 600-ton foundation element into place today
One of the world’s largest floating cranes this morning successfully completed the first of many enormous lifts for the New NY Bridge project, following months of planning and preparation.
In a carefully coordinated three-and-a-half hour operation on the Hudson River between Westchester and Rockland counties, the I Lift NY super crane hoisted and set one of the project’s largest precast concrete pile caps weighing in at 600 tons.
Video and photos from today’s lift will be posted here.
“We brought in the I Lift NY super crane to reduce construction time and cost, and this first lift is another symbol that the New NY Bridge is officially on the way,” Thruway Acting Executive Director Robert L. Megna. “The crane is a key tool to building the bridge in a safer, more cost-effective, environmentally-friendly way. With savings of more than a billion dollars for tollpayers, this super crane will continue to do great work.”
Owned by Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC, the design-build contractor for the New York State Thruway Authority, the super crane’s extraordinary capabilities save time and money while enhancing quality and safety by allowing large sections of the bridge to be pre-fabricated off-site and shipped by barge to the construction zone.
I Lift NY will continue to lift and place sections of the new twin-span bridge some weighing from 900 to 1,100 tons and will assist with the dismantling of the existing 60-year-old Tappan Zee Bridge, reducing costs and shortening the deconstruction process.
The super crane’s boom is 328 feet tall, which is taller than a 30-story building, and can lift up to 1,900 tons, or the equivalent of 12 Statues of Liberty, at once. Despite its enormity, the barge-mounted crane sits high in the water, thereby reducing the need for dredging on the project by 50 percent.
The I Lift NY super crane made a 6,000-mile journey from the San Francisco Bay area in 2014, passing through the Panama Canal.
Since its arrival here in New York, the crane has gone through months of testing, modifications and upgrades including a new high-tech computer operating system and complete replacement of its rigging cables. The most experienced operating engineers in the area also spent months of specialized training to carefully handle this massive machine. Now that the ice has cleared on the Hudson River, the I Lift NY crane is getting to work on the pile caps and later this year will begin placing the even heavier structural steel beams that will carry the road deck across the new spans.
New NY Bridge Progress
Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership and with the support of President Barack Obama and the Federal government, the New NY Bridge project has progressed dramatically since construction began in October 2013 following many years of delay. Since October 2011, steps forward include: enactment of new design-build legislation; review and completion of concurrent environmental review and procurement processes; negotiation of a project labor agreement with construction unions; and recommendation from a panel of local leaders and transportation experts for a comprehensive plan for mass transit options for the region all with an unprecedented level of transparency and community involvement.
About the New NY Bridge
The New NY Bridge’s eight traffic lanes, four breakdown and emergency lanes, and state-of-the-art traffic monitoring systems will mean less congestion for motorists. Designed and constructed to be mass-transit-ready, the new crossing will be able to accommodate bus rapid transit, as well as light rail or commuter rail. The bridge will also include a bike and pedestrian shared-use path. Extensive measures are in place throughout the duration of the project to protect the environment and to monitor the impact of construction on surrounding communities.
I LIFT NY SUPER CRANE SPECIFICATIONS
Type of vessel: Floating Sheerleg Crane
Propulsion: None
Hull material: Steel
Lifting capacity: 1,929 tons
Length: 384 feet
Breadth: 99.8 feet
Depth: 22 feet
Boom length: 328.08 feet
Boom width: 65.7 feet
Min. boom angle for transport: 4 degrees
Min. boom angle for lifting: 19 degrees
Max. boom angle for lifting: 67 degrees
For more information or for photos and video of the I Lift NY super crane’s first lift, go to www.NewNYBridge.com
Tappan Zee viewing area in Nyack could open in June
April 22, 2015 by
NYACK – Rockland residents will have to wait a couple of more months to get an up-close look of the new Tappan Zee Bridge getting built.
Construction crews this week will begin mobilizing equipment at Memorial Park in Nyack to build a new fishing pier that will house the viewing area.
The 90-foot-long by 30-foot-wide pier should be ready by mid-June, Nyack Village Administrator Jim Politi said.
The observation area at the end of the pier will feature several information panels about the $3.9 billion replacement project and the equipment being used. High-powered telescopes will provide an intimate look at what promises to be an extremely busy construction season.
While the official viewing site in Tarrytown’s RiverWalk Park opened last October, Nyack has run into problems that have led to delays.
Village officials had hoped the rebuilt pier would be ready to open last December.
“It took us three tries to find someone to put the pilings in,” Politi said of the project’s critical foundational element.
Politi said larger companies were too busy and perhaps the work was viewed as too small but all that bidding and rebidding added weeks, if not months, to the $200,000 rebuild of an old fishing pier, which received $150,000 from the state and $50,000 in Tappan Zee community fund money.
Soon after pile driving began at end of August, the project ran into another snag.
Crews installing the 40-foot-long wood piles hit a concrete barge buried along the shore.
“We had to figure out how to get through that,” Politi said.
Nyack Mayor Jen Laird-White turned to the state Thruway Authority for advice, and Tony Canale, one of the geotechnical engineers hired for the Tappan Zee project, helped come up with a solution. Canale lives in Yonkers and teaches a graduate course on foundation engineering at Manhattan College.
“We were happy to utilize some the world-class engineering expertise on the New NY Bridge project to help the village of Nyack with their new fishing pier,” said Brian Conybeare, adviser to Gov. Andrew Cuomo on the project.
With the piles now all in, the custom-made deck, wood railings, tables, benches, lighting and Tappan Zee-related materials remain to be installed.
Politi estimates that work will take the contractor, Ingannamorte and Sons of Tenalfy, N.J., six to eight weeks to complete.
By early summer, he said visitors and Tappan Zee watchers will have a place to “fish or sit and relax” with a “wonderful view” of the rising bridge.
Conybeare said the viewing platform will offer residents “a first-hand look at the historic project unfolding on the Hudson River right in their backyard.”
Twitter: @ksaeed1
If you go
The Westchester viewing platform for Tappan Zee Bridge construction is located at Scenic Hudson RiverWalk Park, 157 W. Main St., Tarrytown.
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.
Falcons Swoop In See Tappan Zee Peregrines Live Via Webcam
February 27, 2015 by
Coming to you live from high above the Hudson River are the fastest members of the animal kingdom! The Tappan Zee Bridge’s peregrine falcons have returned to their man-made nest box to prepare for the nesting season and can be viewed on the project’s “FalconCam.”
Installed in the steel super structure of the existing bridge, the nest box is equipped with a live, 24/7 FalconCam, accessible here.
The remote FalconCam, located outside the nest box, provides close-up views of the lives of these amazing migratory raptors, which recently came back to reproduce. Peregrine eggs typically are laid in February and March and chicks hatch approximately one month later. Viewers may be able to watch as the chicks peck their way out of their eggs and are then fed and cared for by their parents.
As construction on the New NY Bridge project continues, a 100-foot buffer area is in place to help protect the falcons during their nesting period.
Maintained and monitored by the New York State Thruway Authority, the nest box evetappan zeentually will be relocated to a new perch in the towers of the new bridge.
Learn more about the Tappan Zee falcons.
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 Updates for the Thanksgiving Holiday!
November 24, 2014 by
THREE LANES OF NORTHBOUND NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY (I-87/I-287) TO BE CLOSED OVERNIGHT MONDAY
All Lanes Remain Open from Wednesday, Nov. 25 to Monday, Dec. 1
for Thanksgiving Travel
During the overnight of Monday, Nov. 24, three lanes of the northbound New York State Thruway (I-87/ I-287) will be closed to accommodate restriping (i.e., applying lane markers) and a minor shifting of lanes. The triple-lane closure will be in effect from 11 p.m., Monday, Nov. 24 to 4:30 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 25 and will extend nearly five miles between exit 9 (Tarrytown Sleepy Hollow US Route 9) and exit 10 (Nyack – South Nyack – US Route 9W). One northbound travel lane will remain open throughout this period. The operation also will require the closure of the exit 10 off ramp from 10 p.m., Monday, Nov. 24 to 4:30 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 25. Exiting motorists will be directed to use exit 11 and follow signs to Route 9W and Route 59. In the event of rain or snow on Monday the above closures will move to Tuesday, Nov. 25.
No Thruway lane closures will occur from Wednesday, Nov. 26 to Monday, Dec. 1 in observance of the busy Thanksgiving holiday travel season as part of Governor Cuomo’s Drivers First Initiative, which focuses on the convenience of motorists to ensure that disruptions are as minimal as possible for drivers at highway and bridge construction projects across the state.
Work Continues on Stormwater Management Pond South of Thruway in Tarrytown
Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) has begun clearing a work zone immediately south of the Thruway in Tarrytown to prepare for the construction of a stormwater management pond. The pond will help control the flow of stormwater by collecting and retaining runoff. Excavation will follow the clearing and a retaining wall will be installed next spring. TZC will employ noise, dust and other mitigation techniques to minimize impacts to local residents.
Continued Demolition of Westchester Landing of Existing Tappan Zee Bridge
A small section of the existing Tappan Zee Bridge’s Westchester landing will be removed during overnight hours next Monday and Tuesday to make room for the new bridge. The work will require the closure of the northbound Thruway’s two right traffic lanes approaching the bridge to construct the abutment and the first foundation pier for the new northbound bridge, which is due to be completed late 2016. The two lanes will be closed between 8 p.m., Monday, Nov. 24 and 4:30 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 25 and 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 25.
Pile Driving and Other Construction Activity
Construction will continue in the Hudson River as crews place the foundations of 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 foundations.
Related to the Westchester landing work referenced above, work is continuing on the new bridge’s landings on both sides of the river. 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 constructed with a drill that mixes 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 noise-reducing measures are being implemented to further minimize sound levels. The eight-week operation is anticipated to conclude in late November.
Additional work includes:
- Pile cap foundation construction
- Main span foundation construction
- River Road utility work
- Rockland trestle construction, including pile driving
- Support for river-based work from the Rockland trestle
- Survey inspections on 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.
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
UPDATED: VIEWING PLATFORMS TAKE SHAPE AS CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES ON THE NEW NY BRIDGE PROJECT
September 5, 2014 by
For immediate release: September 5, 2014
UPDATED: VIEWING PLATFORMS TAKE SHAPE AS CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES ON THE NEW NY BRIDGE PROJECT
Construction on the New NY Bridge viewing platform in Nyack took another step forward this past week as Nyack officials broke ground on a new fishing pier in Memorial Park. The pier will be the site of the Rockland viewing platform. The plan for the site is the result of months of collaboration between village officials and the New NY Bridge project team
Viewing platforms in Nyack and at Scenic Hudson RiverWalk Park in Tarrytown will provide residents and visitors with an unobstructed and easily accessible view of the historic project’s progress and will include spotter’s guides, informational signs and high tech binoculars.
The installation of the new bridge’s pile caps will continue the week of Sept. 8. The caps, which cover the foundation piles installed in the river, are large hollow tubs that are fabricated offsite. The forms weigh several hundred tons and are barged to the project site for installation. Once in place, they are filled with reinforcing steel and concrete.
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.
TZC will also continue construction on the new bridge’s Westchester landing, drilling holes into the bedrock for the foundation. This drilling process will produce less noise than the impact pile driving alternative, and TZC has installed sound mitigation to further reduce noise levels for the eight-week operation. The work will continue to the new westbound abutment in Westchester over the next few weeks.
Sheet pile installation at the Rockland landing is complete at this time. The sheet piles will allow TZC to excavate soil in that location and construct the westbound landing for the new bridge.
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 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 | Sept 08 | Northbound, Left Lane near Exit 9 | 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Tuesday | Sept 09 | Northbound, Left Lane near Exit 9 | 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Wednesday | Sept 10 | Southbound, Right Lane near Exit 9 | 10 a.m. to 3 p.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
NEW NY BRIDGE PROJECT MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
July 18, 2014 by
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President Obama and Governor Cuomo Visit New NY Bridge Project Site With the Tappan Zee Bridge and the New NY Bridge project site in the background, President Obama stood by the Hudson River to make a push for funding transportation infrastructure. The Highway Trust Fund is projected to be insolvent by the fall, and the President is calling on Congress to […] |
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07-08-2014
The New NY Bridge team is reaching out to New York firms, suppliers and subcontractors – particularly disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs) – to aid construction efforts. DBEs are defined by the U.S Department of Transportation as small businesses that are owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals such as women, minorities, veterans or disabled persons.
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07-01-2014
Road work along highways and ramps presents safety challenges to both motorists and construction crews. The New York State Thruway Authority keeps the public informed and up to date on the latest construction activities to help ensure the safety of motorists as well as Thruway and Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) workers.
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06-17-2014
Native to the Hudson River and once plentiful here, the shortnose and Atlantic sturgeon were identified as endangered species and fishing of them was halted in 1996. Since then, the sturgeon population has been growing steadily in the Hudson, one of the species’ most important habitats.…»
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06-24-2014
The New NY Bridge team is reducing the project’s impact to the environment through the use of construction platforms-known as trestles on either side of the Hudson River. The trestles, which extend 1,000 feet from each shoreline and run parallel to the existing bridge, enable heavy duty machinery to work over shallow water and reduce the […]…»
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The New NY Bridge project is now accepting submissions for its 2014 Bridge Art Show. The juried exhibit is an opportunity for local artists to showcase their interpretations of the new bridge design or the existing Tappan Zee Bridge.The project’s Visual Quality Panel – which includes Rockland and Westchester representatives involved in the arts, architecture, […]
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Minelly De Coo Design Production Team Area Manager Minelly De Coo is an area manager for the design production team, who coordinates efforts between the office and the field. As an environmental specialist, she analyzed sound data and worked with the project’s visual quality panel to help design the project’s noise barriers. Minelly is also involved in the environmental monitoring for the project, overseeing sound monitoring stations and directing crew members in the field. She is notified of any environmental concerns that may arise, and works to see that they are resolved in a timely manner. An invaluable member of the project team, Minelly is proud to see progress on the bridge as it rises out of the Hudson River. |
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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
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
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
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
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.
DREDGING OPERATIONS AND TEST PILE PROGRAM IMPACT PILE DRIVING CONTINUE
August 9, 2013 by
For immediate release: August 9, 2013
Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) will continue 24-hour-a day dredging operations 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 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.
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 properly disposed of at offsite locations.
Impact pile driving will continue this week as part of the ongoing test pile program and will continue through October 31 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.
Ongoing operations:
· Test pile program
· Geotechnical land borings
· 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
· Rockland and Westchester environmental monitor installations
· Mobilization at the exit 10 staging area
· Support for river-based work from the Rockland shoreline
Westchester:
Ongoing geotechnical boring activities will continue to support the developing design for the New NY Bridge Project.
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 between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. River Road will be limited at times to one lane with flag persons in place to control traffic safely.
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.
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.
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
LARGE CRANES START TO ARRIVE ON THE HUDSON RIVER THIS WEEK
June 17, 2013 by
Two large barge-mounted cranes that will be used to place permanent piles for the substructure of the New NY Bridge Project will arrive throughout the next two weeks. Upon arrival, crews will start to assemble each crane and moor them until the test pile operations begin in mid-July. The cranes will be moored on the north side of the bridge closer to the Rockland County side of the Hudson River.
Neither of these cranes are the Left Coast Lifter, which is set to arrive late this year.
Work will also begin next week on the New York State Thruway Authority’s Rockland bulkhead area located on River Road in South Nyack. Work includes clearing of the site and construction of a larger bulkhead that will be used for staging of equipment.
Ongoing operations:
– Construction of the temporary Westchester work trestle which includes pile driving operations occurring weekdays between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
– Survey inspections on existing bridge
– Environmental monitoring activities
– 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. Work activities will be conducted between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Rockland:
Limited geotechnical analysis boring operations continue this week on Thruway property and will not require lane closures due to work being performed behind barriers. Crews will also inspect and clean the 72-foot storm sewer line that services the existing Thruway property. Work is scheduled between the hours of 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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
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?”