After successfully installing a structural steel girder assembly between the Westchester abutment and a nearby on-land pier (pier 43), Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC moved forward with the next stage of operations this week. In a remarkable feat of engineering, crews carefully pushed the massive steel-blue girder assembly further west, over the Metro-North Railroad Hudson Line and toward the first pier (pier 42) in the Hudson River.
The operation was accomplished with careful planning and coordination with Metro-North and the New York State Thruway Authority. Train schedules were adjusted slightly to allow the work to be completed during the overnight of Oct. 23, ensuring that no trains were passing through the area during the operation. This approach maximized safety for workers and the public and minimized any potential impact to railroad passengers.
The operation over the Metro-North tracks is scheduled to occur two more times, in November and December. During these overnights, additional girders will be connected and pushed westward until they reach the first pier in the Hudson River.
