Tappan Zee Bridge builder chosen

New York State Thruway Authority directors this afternoon awarded a $3.142 billion design-build contract for a new Tappan Zee Bridge that will put total project costs about $1.5 billion under initial state and federal estimates.

The winning bidder, Tappan Zee Constructors, is a consortium of Fluor Enterprises Inc., American Bridge Co., Granite Construction Northeast Inc. and Traylor Brothers Inc. They outbid Tappan Zee Bridge Partners, a joint venture of Bechtel Infrastructure Corp. and Tutor Perini Corp., which proposed a $3.99 billion project, and Kiewit-Skanska-Weeks Joint Venture, with a high bid of $4.059 billion.

Selected as the best value among the three competing proposals, the consortium”™s bid not only was the lowest price but also had the shortest project completion time ”“ 5 years, 2 1/2 months ”“ and the least environmental impact on the Hudson River, with approximately 951,000 cubic yards of dredging.

Thruway officials estimated $500 million to $800 million in administrative, environmental mediation, right of way and other costs will be added to a bridge project previously estimated at $5.2 billion to $5.4 billion.