Part two of dredging to begin at Tappan Zee site

The second phase of dredging to help make way for the new Tappan Zee Bridge is set to begin this weekend, as Saturday marks the end of migration and spawning season for Hudson River water life.

From Saturday to Oct. 31, Tappan Zee Constructors LLC, the consortium of builders and designers overseeing the bridge project, is allowed to remove sediment from the river. This round of dredging will remove less than 200,000 cubic yards of the river”™s dregs to make a position for the I Lift NY supercrane to knock out parts of the old bridge and help build the southbound landing of the new bridge, according to a statement from TZC.

If sturgeon are seen near the dredging site, workers have been trained to use certain equipment that will help retrieve fish and safely relocate them in the river. The National Marine Fisheries Service has approved observers to watch the dredging sites for fish that show up near the work.

Once the river bottom has been dredged, TZC will install 2 feet of gravel to limit the river sediment from surfacing. TZC is also in the process of installing noise barriers along the southbound Thruway between South Broadway bridge and River Road.