Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) is preparing for the potential effects of Hurricane Joaquin, which forecasters say could hit the Hudson Valley region in the coming days. In advance of the storm’s approach, TZC is implementing its storm preparedness plans, temporarily halting marine construction operations and the movement of construction materials, while securing the job site to prevent possible storm damage. By closely monitoring weather conditions and taking appropriate action in advance, TZC will ensure both worker and public safety while minimizing any potential storm-related downtime on the project.
TZC’s inclement weather preparation protocols include having tug boats on the water at all times, inspecting and adjusting all mooring lines, inspecting crane barges and securing all equipment, moving the large majority of cranes to shallow water moorings and taking all smaller crew boats out of the water. Additionally throughout every storm, TZC uses video and GPS to monitor the entire fleet of project vessels from its security operations center.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today activated the State Emergency Operations Center in Albany to monitor severe weather that is anticipated to impact southern parts of New York State beginning today and potentially lasting through this weekend.
Additional New York State storm preparedness updates can be found here: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news
The following construction operations planned for next week will proceed as weather allows:
Steel Girder Installation
TZC will continue installing steel girders near the South Nyack shoreline. Safely accomplishing the work will require reducing River Road to one lane during weekdays between 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Flag persons will keep traffic moving by alternating the directional flow between north and south.
Smaller girder sections will be lifted into place by cranes from the Rockland trestle. Ironworkers then bolt together the girders and cross beams that will support the new bridge’s concrete road deck. In deeper water, the I Lift NY super crane will continue placing larger girders, averaging two placements a week.
A total of 31 miles of steel girders cumulatively weighing more than 100,000 tons will be installed for the new twin-span bridge.
All-Electronic Toll Collection Gantry Work
Construction of the project’s temporary all-electronic toll collection (AETC) system in Rockland County will continue next week with the installation of an overhead gantry above the exit 10 (Nyack – South Nyack – US Route 9W) on-ramp to southbound New York State Thruway (I-87/I-287). The work necessitates overnight double-lane closures throughout the coming week. Specific lane closures are listed in the chart below.
| DATE: | CLOSURES BEGIN: | CLOSURES END: | LOCATION: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon., 10/5 | 8 p.m. – One left lane 9 p.m. – Two left lanes |
6 a.m., Tue., 10/6 | Southbound I-87/I-287 from exits 12 to 10 |
| Tue., 10/6 | 8 p.m. – One left lane 9 p.m. – Two left lanes |
6 a.m., Wed., 10/7 | Southbound from exits 12 to 10 |
| Wed., 10/7 | 8 p.m. – One left lane 9 p.m. – Two left lanes |
6 a.m., Thu., 10/8 | Southbound from exits 12 to 10 |
| Thu., 10/8 | 8 p.m. – One right lane 9 p.m. – Two right lanes |
6 a.m., Fri., 10/9 | Southbound from exits 12 to 10 |
| Fri., 10/9 | 8 p.m. – One right lane 9 p.m. – Two right lanes |
6 a.m., Sat., 10/10 | Southbound from exits 12 to 10 |
Tower Construction
The new bridge’s iconic towers will continue rising toward their ultimate height of 419 feet, aided by self-climbing jump forms. The state-of-the-art forms enable TZC workers to build the towers in segments that progressively “jump” up from the foundations to their full height. Within the jump forms, workers assemble steel reinforcement cages that are then encased in concrete, one segment atop the previous one and so on. Eight towers will be constructed on the project’s football-field-long main span pile caps over the coming year, as seen in this animation.
Installation of Noise Barriers in South Nyack
Next week will see continued installation of foundations for noise barriers along the southbound Thruway between the South Broadway bridge and River Road in South Nyack. The work involves drilling holes into the soil to install the foundations. After the foundations are installed, concrete panels that form the noise barriers will be installed. The barriers will be treated with sound-absorbing material to further reduce traffic noise to the nearby community.
Additional work includes:
- Support for river-based work from the Rockland trestle
- Survey inspections on the existing bridge
- Westchester landings utility work
Boater Safety
Westchester and Rockland Marine Units are continuing extensive patrols to monitor the construction zone and encourage all boaters to obey the established U.S. Coast Guard safety protocols.
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. 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. Boaters are urged to transit the main channel with no wake at a maximum speed of 5 knots and to use extreme caution on the river at all times.
More New NY Bridge boater safety information, including the U.S. Coast Guard Notice to Mariners and construction site maps, can be found here at NewNYBridge.com. An interactive map showing vessel locations on the Hudson River is also available here for recreational and commercial boaters to get updated information on the very active construction zone. The GPS tracking map is for informational purposes and not intended for navigation.
Mariners also should be aware that TZC will continue work in the vicinity of the side channels under the existing bridge. Additional temporary navigational lights have been installed to further define the 600-foot navigation channel under the main span. Permanent elements of the new bridge are lit per U.S. Coast Guard requirements, as are all moorings, barges and other equipment.
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.
