After some 20 years of discussion, studies and hearings, a new Tappan Zee Bridge is in the foreseeable future. The state and federal governments are working together to expedite the project with a design that would replace the existing span with two new structures ”“ parallel and just to the north. The new bridge would use the same landfalls in Tarrytown and Nyack.
Gov. Cuomo and President Obama have committed the resources of the state and federal highway agencies to see the process through environmental approvals to begin construction in late-2012. At this point, however, many questions remain unanswered about the final design. These include the inclusion of a mass-transit component to accommodate future dedicated bus rapid transit, light rail, as well as the type of contract methodology for the construction ”“ and how to finance the project.
The new plan for the Tappan Zee Hudson River Project was presented at two public scoping sessions in late October and provides some details. Essentially the Tappan Zee will be replaced with two parallel structures each consisting of four 12-foot travel lanes, 8-foot and 10-foot breakdown or service lanes, 12-foot emergency access lanes and a pedestrian/bike lane on the northern-most structure. The cost is estimated to be $5.2 billion. A decision has yet to be reached whether or not to build long-span or short-span structures or to add the necessary components for future mass transit.
The takeaways from these two public hearings were twofold. First, there was the virtual unanimity that a new bridge must be built. Within 20 years of when the current bridge opened in 1955, the Thruway Authority began to realize some of the flaws in the design and location. Lightweight steel and shallow deck concrete began to show unanticipated stresses caused by heavy usage. Also, the design for maximum usage of 80,000 vehicles was exceeded long ago. Today, there is an average daily usage of 140,000 vehicles.
The second takeaway was the widespread call for mass transit, and to that point the new bridge will likely be mass-transit ready. The actual design, with its long span structures, will result in fewer pier placements in the riverbed, minimizing environmental impacts. The additional funds allocated today for a mass-transit-ready bridge will pay enormous dividends when the region is prepared to address a comprehensive mass-transit program through the Tappan Zee corridor down the road.
The looming question is how to pay for the new Tappan Zee. That will likely not be fully analyzed and decided upon until June of next year. The options include Thruway Authority bonding and tolling, state or federal funds, the creation of and then funding from a national infrastructure bank, and perhaps even private enterprise money or any combination thereof.
Those of us in the construction industry welcome the opportunity for local workers, designers, steel fabricators, production plants and the many other sectors of our economy to get back to work. It is expected to create thousands of construction and permanent jobs.
The economic impact of a project of this size is unprecedented here in the region. Each dollar directly spent in construction ripples through the economy 16 times. This multiplier effect is truly staggering. And given that this nation has been living on borrowed time ”“ that is, living off infrastructure that was built in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s ”“ we are in a very real sense running out of time.
Ross J. Pepe is president of both the Construction Industry Council of Westchester & Hudson Valley Inc. and the Building Contractors Association of Westchester & Mid-Hudson Region Inc. Reach him at ross@cicnys.org.
