The New NY Bridge Visual Quality Panel (VQP) has announced its recommendation of the sleek, chamfered design for the towers along the main span of the bridge after receiving hundreds of comments from the public.
“Governor Cuomo has made it clear that transparency and public input must play a key role in the construction of the New New York Bridge,” said VQP Chair Brian Conybeare, who is also Governor Cuomo’s special advisor for the New NY Bridge. “The success of this process has reinforced that the VQP is essential in both achieving this goal and giving Hudson Valley residents a bridge they can be proud of.”
Last week, the VQP presented two design options for the public to weigh in on. Option A– the original design provided for in the Tappan Zee Constructor’s proposal–had flat, rectangular, squared-off towers that rise 409′ above the water. Option B–the recommended design–has chamfered or angled towers that rise 419′ above the water and provides a more slender appearance.
Since the designs were shared on our website, the VQP has received more than 220 comments from the public which supported the VQP’s recommendation of Option B by a margin of more than 3-to-1. This design does not require any changes to the bridge’s structural capacity or construction schedule, but could increase the price slightly. The final cost will be determined in future negotiations between the Thruway Authority and Tappan Zee Constructors and could be offset by future savings.
Design illustrations are available at www.newnybridge.com.
The VQP was established in February 2013 to provide aesthetic guidance and support to the Tappan Zee Constructors, while ensuring that the public’s concerns about aesthetics are considered in the ongoing development of the design. The panel consists of one chair appointed by the Thruway Authority, a visual quality manager from the design-build team and also from the Authority, and 13 public representatives.
