A precast concrete deck panel is lowered onto the new bridge’s structural steel.
Following the installation of steel at the Westchester approach, Tappan Zee Constructors (TZC) continues to form the base driving surface of the eastbound span with precast concrete deck panels.
The 12-foot-long panels each weigh up to 74,000 pounds and are composed of concrete and galvanized steel. The manufacturing of each panel takes place offsite, at Unistress Corp. in Pittsfield, Mass. By “precasting” the panels offsite, the project minimizes costs and environmental hazards while promoting greater quality and installation efficiency.
Once completed, the panels are barged downriver from the Port of Coeymans in Albany County and raised into place by the project’s cranes. TZC then ties the panels together with additional steel reinforcement and makes the deck composite through a series of cast-in-place concrete closure pours.
A precast concrete deck panel is lowered onto the new bridge’s structural steel.
TZC has already installed more than 5,500 deck panels on both spans to date, with just over 800 remaining. When all of the deck panels are in place this year, they will comprise a surface area of more than 65 acres – approximately equal to the deck space of all 19 U.S. Navy aircraft carriers in service.
Once the deck panels are installed, TZC can continue creating the final driving surface of the eastbound span, consisting of waterproofing and paving. The material will help provide a smooth ride for drivers.
Eastbound traffic is scheduled to shift to the new span later this year.
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to receive these updates and the latest project information.
