This week marked another milestone for the New NY Bridge project: The first steel girder assembly for the westbound (northern) span was placed near the Rockland County landing (see image here). The first girder assembly for the eastbound (southern) span was placed on June 17. To date 11 girder assemblies have been hoisted into place by the I Lift NY super crane. Additional girder assemblies will be placed next week and beyond, on average twice a week, as Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) installs 31 miles of steel girders weighing more than 100,000 tons.
All-Electronic Toll Collection Work Continues in Rockland County
The continued installation of a temporary all-electronic toll collection (AETC) system in South Nyack will require triple-lane closures of the southbound New York State Thruway (I-87/I-287) approaching exit 11 (Nyack – South Nyack – US Route 9W) and extending just beyond exit 10 (Nyack – South Nyack – US Route 9W) during the overnights of Wednesday, Aug. 12, Thursday, Aug. 13 and Friday, Aug. 14. Specific lane closure times are listed in the chart below.
| DATE: | CLOSURES BEGIN: | CLOSURES END: | LOCATION: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed., 8/12 | 8 p.m. – One right lane 9 p.m. – Two right lanes 11 p.m. – Three right lanes |
6 a.m., Thu., 8/13 | Southbound near exits 10 and 11 |
| Thu., 8/13 | 8 p.m. – One right lane 9 p.m. – Two right lanes 11 p.m. – Three right lanes |
6 a.m., Fri., 8/14 | Southbound near exits 10 and 11 |
| Thu., 8/13 | 10 p.m. – Ramp closure | 5 a.m., Fri., 8/14 | Southbound exit 10 on-ramp |
| Fri., 8/14 | 8 p.m. – One right lane 9 p.m. – Two right lanes 11 p.m. – Three right lanes |
6 a.m., Sat., 8/15 | Southbound near exits 10 and 11 |
| Fri., 8/14 | 10 p.m. – Ramp closure | 5 a.m., Sat., 8/15 | Southbound exit 10 on-ramp |
The AETC installation also will require closing the exit 10 (Nyack – South Nyack – US Route 9W) on-ramp to the southbound Thruway during the overnight hours on Thursday, Aug. 13 and Friday, Aug. 14. Drivers will be directed to use the on-ramp from Route 59 in Nyack, as shown in the graphic below:
All planned work is 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.
Dredging Operations Continue
TZC will continue the second stage of dredging operations near the Westchester shoreline as part of the preparation for removing the existing bridge and completing the landing of the new southern span. Dredging is allowed during a three-month period from August 1 to October 31 in specified locations and will be conducted 24/7 to complete the required dredging during the short window. The window was established to avoid impacting migration and spawning patterns of local sturgeon and other fish species.
Installation of Noise Barriers in South Nyack
Next week also will see continued installation of foundations for noise barriers along the southbound Thruway between the South Broadway bridge and River Road in S. Nyack. The work will involve 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:
- Pile cap foundation construction
- Placement of Steel Girder assemblies
- Dredging
- Main span foundation construction
- Landing abutment concrete work
- Support for river-based work from the Rockland trestle
- Survey inspections on the existing bridge
- Westchester landings utility work
Boater Safety
During the summer months, Westchester and Rockland Marine Units will add extra 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.
