No construction activities are scheduled for the New NY Bridge project on New Year’s Day, Wednesday, Jan. 1. Meanwhile, the Left Coast Lifter, America’s famous floating crane, continues its approximate 6,000-mile journey to the site of the New NY Bridge project.
Traveling from Oakland Harbor, near San Francisco, to the site of the New NY Bridge, the crane is named for its use in the replacement of the eastern span of the San Francisco—Oakland Bay Bridge. On Saturday, the 400-foot crane departed from Oakland Harbor, and it will travel along the West Coast, through the Panama Canal and the Gulf of Mexico, and then up the East Coast before arriving in the Hudson River. To see photos of the crane’s departure, visit:https://www.newnybridge.com/articles/.
The New York State Thruway entrance ramp from South Broadway in Tarrytown to the Tappan Zee Bridge temporarily remains opened to traffic to accommodate holiday travelers. Referred to as “Ramp E” by Thruway Authority, the ramp from Route 9 southbound to I-87/I-287 was closed earlier this month to allow Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) to utilize the area surrounding the ramp for construction access to keep construction vehicles off local streets, perform underground utility work and shift Thruway traffic headed toward the Tappan Zee Bridge onto the ramp area in 2014.
The ramp, which has routinely closed for bridge-related maintenance projects, will close again in January and will remain closed for the duration of the project. Its complete closure is required for the construction of the New NY Bridge, and to ensure safety for the traveling public and construction workers.
Excavation and preparation for the installation of permanent sound barriers continues along I-87 northbound/I-287 westbound in the area south of exit 10 in Rockland County.
Mariners should be aware that TZC will be installing permanent piles in the vicinity of the side channels under the existing bridge. Pile driving will take place between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays, and occasionally between noon and 7 p.m. on Saturdays. New temporary navigational lights have been installed to further define the 600-foot navigation channel under the main span. Both temporary and permanent piles are illuminated at night.
The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a revised Notice to Mariners with updated safety information, including the establishment of a Regulated Navigation Area (RNA) 300 yards north and 200 yards south of the existing Tappan Zee Bridge. All boaters are advised to use the main channel, reduce wake and use extreme caution while transiting the area. If necessary, the Coast Guard may temporarily prohibit all vessel traffic in the RNA for safety purposes. The Coast Guard boating safety information can be found on the project website at NewNYbridge.com under the “Boater Safety” icon.
Ongoing Operations:
- Rockland access ramp modifications
- Armoring of dredge channel
- River Road utility work
- Test pile program
- Permanent pile installation
- Temporary Rockland trestle construction, including pile driving on weekdays 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Survey inspections on existing bridge
- Support for river-based work from the Rockland shoreline
- Reinforcement steel pre-assembly at bridge yard
