Marking another milestone this week, Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) will complete the installation of structural steel girder assemblies for the new bridge’s Westchester landing in Tarrytown. The assemblies will connect the future westbound span’s on-land abutment to the first offshore support pier in the Hudson River. TZC installed the girders by literally pushing them west over the Metro-North Railroad Hudson Line’s tracks toward the first pier in the river, as seen in this animation.
The remaining work over the Metro-North tracks is scheduled for the overnight of Friday, Dec. 18, with the entire operation anticipated to conclude by the end of the year. Metro-North has adjusted its schedule slightly to allow the work to be completed and TZC is suspending construction activities when commuter trains pass through the area, resuming when given the “all clear” instruction by Metro-North.
All-Electronic Toll Collection Gantry Work
Construction of the project’s temporary all-electronic toll collection (AETC) system in Rockland will continue next week near the exit 10 (Nyack – South Nyack – US Route 9W) on-ramp to the southbound New York State Thruway (I-87/I-287). The work will necessitate closing the on-ramp during the overnight of Friday, Dec. 18. Drivers will be directed to use the on-ramp from Route 59 in Nyack, as shown in the graphic below. In addition, the work will require overnight closures of two lanes of the southbound Thruway from Monday, Dec. 21 through Wednesday, Dec. 23. This work requires the specific lane and ramp closures detailed in the chart below.
| DATE: | CLOSURES BEGIN: | CLOSURES END: | LOCATION: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., 12/17 | 8 p.m. – One left lane 9 p.m. – Two left lanes |
5 a.m., Fri., 12/18 | Southbound I-87/I-287 from exit 12 to exit 10 |
| Fri., 12/18 | 9 p.m. – Ramp closure | 5 a.m., Sat., 12/19 | Southbound exit 10 on-ramp |
| Mon., 12/21 | 8 p.m. – One left lane 9 p.m. – Two left lanes |
5 a.m., Tue., 12/22 | Southbound from exit 12 to exit 10 |
| Tue., 12/22 | 8 p.m. – One right lane 9 p.m. – Two right lanes |
5 a.m., Wed., 12/23 | Southbound from exit 12 to exit 10 |
| Wed., 12/23 | 8 p.m. – One right lane 9 p.m. – Two right lanes |
5 a.m., Thu., 12/24 | Southbound from exit 12 to exit 10 |
Tower Construction
Construction will continue on the new bridge’s iconic towers, which will eventually rise 419 feet above the river. Innovative self-climbing jump forms enable TZC workers to build the towers in segments that progressively “jump” up from the foundations to their full height. Within the jump forms, workers assemble steel reinforcement cages that are then encased in concrete, one segment atop the previous one and so on. Eight towers will be constructed on the project’s football-field-long main span pile caps over the coming year, as seen in this animation.
Installation of Noise Barriers in South Nyack
Next week will see continued construction of foundations for noise barriers along the southbound Thruway between the South Broadway bridge and River Road. The construction work involves 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.
Additional work includes:
- Support for river-based work from the Rockland trestle
- Rockland landing retaining walls
- Survey inspections on the existing bridge
- Westchester landings utility work
- Girder assembly placement
- Bridge road deck installation
Boater Safety
Marine Units are continuing 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, construction site maps, can be found here at NewNYBridge.com. The page includes an interactive GPS map showing vessel locations on the Hudson River, detailing which vessels are stopped and which are in motion to a new location for recreational and commercial boaters to get current information on the very active construction zone. The vessel 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 https://www.thruway.ny.gov/travelers/map/ for real-time information regarding traffic conditions.
