Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) will begin drainage repair operations on the southbound/eastbound New York State Thruway (I-87/I-287) tonight. Operations will continue through the overnight and early morning hours of Thursday, Dec. 8.
Work will necessitate the closure of up to three southbound/eastbound lanes of the Thruway, beginning at exit 10 (Nyack – South Nyack – US Route 9W) and continuing across the Tappan Zee Bridge.
Northbound/ westbound lanes will remain open during the operation. All lanes will reopen by 5 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 8.
Specific lane closure times are detailed in the chart below.
| DATE: | CLOSURES BEGIN: | CLOSURES END: | LOCATION: |
| Wed., 12/7 | 7 p.m. – One right lane 8 p.m. – Two right lanes 11 p.m. – Three right lanes |
5 a.m., Thu., 12/8 | Southbound Thruway exit 10 across the bridge |
Utility Work in Tarrytown
TZC will begin a second phase of utility work at the intersection of Washington Place and Van Wart Avenue on Monday, Dec. 12. The work will require road closures on Van Wart Avenue between Hudson Place and Monroe Street from the hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Impacted residents will have access to their driveways during these times. The road will be open to all traffic at all other times.
The operations are scheduled to occur between Monday, Dec. 12 and Friday, Dec. 16.
The work will involve accessing the water main, as well as sawcutting and excavating. TZC will backfill and restore the work area to the satisfaction of the village when the operations are complete.
Stay Cable Installation
TZC continues to install stay cables on the new westbound and eastbound spans. More than 60 stay cables are now fully anchored and tensioned on the 419-foot main span towers.
The stay cables are comprised of numerous metal strands, tightly packed in a protective sheath. After the initial installation process, TZC installs additional strands inside the sheath to provide further strength.
TZC is installing new structural steel sections and stay cables on alternating sides of the towers as work continues.
Maintenance Facility Construction
TZC continues construction on the New York State Thruway Authority’s new maintenance facility in Tarrytown. The work includes pouring concrete and installing steel reinforcement.
The state-of-the-art building will facilitate instant access to the bridge for Thruway personnel responsible for maintenance, operations and security. The facility is expected to open in 2018. Bridge personnel currently operate from a temporary facility near exit 12 in West Nyack.
Main Span Tower Progress
The new bridge’s eastbound towers are reaching their ultimate height, 419 feet above the Hudson River. TZC is removing the eastbound towers’ blue jump forms during overnight operations.
Additional work includes:
- Deck panel installation
- Support for river-based work from the Rockland trestle
- Survey inspections on the existing bridge
- Utility work at the Westchester landings
- Concrete roadway placement at bridge landings
- Drainage structure installation
- New police facility construction in Tarrytown
- Pier foundation work
- Maintenance dock construction
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.
Periodic closures of the main navigation channel and adjacent span areas will occur due to on-going construction. Boaters are strongly encouraged to avoid the project site during these closures.
The closures are anticipated through the end of 2017 as project crews install new sections of structural steel and road deck panels between the towers of the new crossing. Cranes, barges and other construction equipment will occupy parts of the channel during this time.
During the closures, boaters are strongly encouraged to avoid the project site. Times and dates of the closures will appear in the U.S. Coast Guard’s weekly Notice to Mariners; on the New NY Bridge (NNYB) project’s Twitter feed (@NewNYBridge); and broadcast on Marine Radio Channel 22A.
Times and dates of the channel closures are subject to change.
TZC will be monitoring the main channel during closure hours and can be contacted via Marine Radio Channel 16 for assistance. Both TZC security personnel off-site and marine units will advise incoming boaters of the closures and direct them appropriately. TZC is also in on-going communication with the commercial shipping industry about the channel closures.
Boaters are strongly urged to use the center 600 feet of the main channel (when available) to navigate in a north-south direction with no wake at a maximum speed of five knots.
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. The U.S. Coast Guard also has established a safety zone encompassing all navigable waters within a 200-yard radius of the largest machine on the project, the I Lift NY super crane, legally registered with the U.S. Coast Guard as the Left Coast Lifter.
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. The Eastern RNA will be extremely active and vessels transitioning to and from the eastern shoreline at Tarrytown should approach and depart to the north. The Western RNA will be impassable at times and mariners should stay clear of the area.
Mariners also should be aware that TZC will continue work in the vicinity of the side channels under the existing bridge. Mariners are advised to stay clear of all overhead work and maintain a safe distance of 1,000 feet from all construction equipment and support vessels. In addition, all bridge piers and abutments are protected by a 25-yard security zone.
The 600-foot navigation channel under the main span of the existing bridge remains lit per U.S. Coast Guard permit requirements, as are all moorings, barges and other equipment. All mariners should consult the latest USCG Local Notice to Mariners before transiting this area.
More New NY Bridge boater safety information, including the U.S. Coast Guard Notice to Mariners and construction site map can be found at NewNYBridge.com/Boater. 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.
The New York State Thruway Authority provides this information as a public service. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. Nothing in these guidelines shall supersede the actual construction conditions, and regulations set forth by the U.S. Coast Guard.
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.
