Bike, pedestrian path on Cuomo bridge opens; New rules for cops
During a news briefing held today at the Tarrytown entrance to the new 3.6-mile bicycle and pedestrian path across the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced that he will be signing into law regulations governing actions by police officers.
Officers now will be required to report a weapons discharge within six hours and provide for the medical and mental health needs of any person in custody or under arrest who requires such attention.
Another requirement going into effect is for all police departments and courts in New York to keep track of arrest data including the race and ethnicity of individuals.
Cuomo reported the lowest number of hospitalizations for COVID-19 since March 20 with 1,608 people being treated for the disease as of yesterday. He said that yesterday there were 25 deaths due to the virus in New York state, with 5 in nursing homes and 20 in hospitals.
The governor said that numbers are looking so good that gatherings of up to 25 people will now be allowed under the third phase of the reopening plan, an increase from the 10 previously allowed under the plan. Western New York enters phase three tomorrow with the Capital Region starting on Wednesday.
“Local governments are supposed to be enforcing compliance. Compliance is hard,” Cuomo said. “Why? Because people have been cooped up for a long time and they want to do what they want to do.”
He said if the local governments don”™t enforce compliance you will see the disease numbers start to go up and if the numbers start to go up then the reopening will have to be slowed or stopped.
According to statistics obtained this afternoon from the state Department of Health, statewide there have been a total of 24,579 COVID-19 deaths in New York.
Deaths in Westchester now total 1,535, with 1,405 Westchester residents falling victim to the virus. The number of Rockland residents who died from the disease held steady at Thursday”™s figure of 503. The number of Putnam residents killed by the virus remains at 62. A total of 393 Orange County residents have died from the virus, unchanged from Thursday. There have been 155 deaths in Dutchess County, also unchanged from Thursday.
New York has had 383,944 people test positive for the virus. There now have been a cumulative total of 34,327 cases identified in Westchester, 13,441 in Rockland, 1,291 in Putnam, 10,573 in Orange and 4,068 in Dutchess.
The new bike and pedestrian pathway across the bridge between Tarrytown and South Nyack is intended for cyclists, runners, walkers and family recreation.
The 12-foot wide shared use path extends from its Westchester landing in Tarrytown to the Rockland landing in South Nyack. Located on the northern side of the bridge’s westbound span, the path features six scenic overlooks, digital kiosks, interpretive signage and public art. There is visitor parking, restrooms, bicycle repair stations and other amenities. Connections to local bicycle and pedestrian networks exist at both landings.
Hudson Link, a bus service sponsored by the New York State Department of Transportation serving the Interstate 87/287 corridor, will provide shuttle service from parking lots in Rockland and Westchester to stops near the path’s landings in Tarrytown and South Nyack. The service is free and runs from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. until June 21, then from June 26 to Sept. 13 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only, from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
There is a four-hour time limit in the parking lots at the path. The shuttle buses will loop between Palisades Center Lot J and Tarrytown train station, with stops at South Nyack (the path”™s Rockland landing) and Route 119 (the path”™s Westchester landing). Parking is available at Palisades Lot J and the Tarrytown train station.
Cuomo also announced the bridge will be lit blue this evening in honor of the 88th birthday of his father, Mario M. Cuomo.
Public art, including five unique sculptures, a 4,000-square-foot mural in Rockland and a custom-designed bike rack referencing the Palisades and New York City skyline has been installed. Three of the sculptures incorporate remnant steel salvaged from the now-demolished Tappan Zee Bridge.
The Thruway Authority partnered with ArtsWestchester and the Arts Council of Rockland for the art.
ArtsWestchester CEO Janet T. Langsam said, “A spectacular group of monumental works of art have been installed at each terminus of the new bridge, transforming this twin crossing into a compelling destination for travelers to engage with the arts.”