In observance of the Memorial Day holiday, Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) will suspend most construction activities, including sheet and pipe pile driving. In accordance with New York State’s ‘Driver’s First’ initiative, no construction related lane closures are scheduled on or near the New NY Bridge project site from Friday morning, May 22 to Tuesday night, May 26. Certain maintenance, safety and security work will continue during the weekend. Drivers First, launched in 2012, prioritizes the convenience of motorists to ensure that traffic disruptions are as minimal as possible for drivers at highway and bridge projects across the state.
Following the holiday, weekday overnight triple-lane closures of southbound New York State Thruway (I-87/ I-287) will occur from Tuesday night, May 26 through Saturday morning, May 30. Closures will start at 7 p.m. with the closing of one lane near exit 11 (Nyack – South Nyack – US Route 9W) to the Tappan Zee Bridge, followed by a second lane at 9 p.m. and a third at 10:30 p.m. All lanes will reopen by 6 a.m. the following day.
Additionally, a double-lane closure is planned for the overnight of Saturday, May 30, with a single lane closing at 7 p.m., followed by a second lane at 11 p.m. The lanes will reopen by 10 a.m., Sunday, May 31.
The lane closures are necessary to allow TZC to modify the highway for a temporary all-electronic toll collection system that will be employed until a permanent system is constructed in the location of the current toll plaza in Tarrytown.
During the weekday and weekend overnight closures, at least one lane will remain open at all times, except during periodic traffic stops lasting up to 10 minutes of all four lanes of the southbound Thruway near exit 11 (Nyack – South Nyack – US Route 9W), which will occur between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. during the overnights of Tuesday, May 26 and Wednesday, May 27. To ensure the public’s safety, the New York State Police will stop and hold all traffic approaching the area immediately before the traffic stops go into effect. Motorists will be permitted to enter the Thruway from all ramps during the traffic stops. The complete traffic stops are necessary to move equipment from the right shoulder to the left shoulder.
Finally, the exit 10 (Nyack – South Nyack – US Route 9W) on-ramp to the southbound Thruway will be closed from 9 p.m., Tuesday, May 26 to 5 a.m., Wednesday, May 27. Drivers will be directed to use the on-ramp from Route 59 in Nyack, as shown on the following graphic. The closure will allow TZC to mobilize a crane that will place concrete slabs for the all-electronic toll collection system.
All planned work is subject to postponement due to weather conditions.
River Road in South Nyack
River Road utility work will continue the week of May 25. The work may require reducing River Road to one lane at times. TZC flag persons will direct traffic as needed and additional signage as well as other safety measures will be in place.
Foundation Work on the New Bridge
Marine crews will continue working on the foundations for the new bridge next week by placing reinforcing steel and concrete in the piles, main span pile caps and approach span pile caps. The high-strength concrete is made on site by the project’s two floating batch plants. Teams also will erect formwork for the cast-in-place pier columns, which eventually will support the new bridge’s road deck.
With the current phase of pile driving anticipated to end in June, operations will continue next week. Pile driving is restricted to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday through Friday and noon to 7 p.m., Saturday.
Crews also will continue working on the bridge’s landings at the Rockland and Westchester shorelines. The abutments, comprised of steel and concrete, will serve as strong bases where the new crossing meets the landside roadway.
Construction of Pier 1 located near River Road in S. Nyack will continue with the installation of sheet piles. The sheet piles support the surrounding soil while the foundation for the new bridge pier is constructed. TZC is implementing noise-reducing measures, including sound-absorptive temporary noise barriers, to protect nearby residents. The project’s environmental compliance team will be on site to monitor noise levels during the operation.
TZC will continue concrete placement for foundations near the South Nyack shoreline. The concrete for this work is being acquired from local concrete suppliers and is delivered by truck to the Rockland trestle located off the Thruway’s southbound access ramp. Trucks exit the trestle to the Thruway via the northbound access ramp. The access ramps are used only by construction vehicles, providing a safe route directly to the work site and reducing traffic impacts on local roads.
Additional work includes:
- Pile cap foundation construction
- Main span foundation construction
- Concrete placement for foundations
- 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
Enhanced marine law enforcement patrols are in effect for the Memorial Day holiday weekend. The U.S. Coast Guard, Westchester and Rockland County marine units will be patrolling the area urging all boaters to use caution and follow all safety regulations.
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.
