The New NY Bridge project’s electrical network is coming to life.
Electricians and systems specialists with Tappan Zee Constructors (TZC) have begun testing all the electronic systems across the 3.1-mile westbound crossing, which will open to traffic later this year.
The most apparent to onlookers is the aesthetic lighting that will accentuate the architectural features of the twin-span bridge, specifically its eight 419-foot towers, 192 stay cables and dozens of piers.
TZC has conducted five aesthetic lighting tests to date, with approximately three more anticipated in the coming weeks. The tests help TZC engineers confirm that the aiming angle for each fixture follows the rendering plan set forth by lighting designers. The lighting plan was developed with the assistance of the local community and design professionals who make up the project’s Visual Quality Panel.
TZC prepared for this connectivity well in advance, installing parts of the utility and systems infrastructure into the steel girder assemblies before they were placed by the I Lift NY super crane. This reduced the amount of work required over the Hudson River.
Once the steel was safely secured atop the bridge’s concrete piers, TZC electricians began splicing and extending material, tying the bridge utilities into the systems in Rockland and Westchester counties.
“The systems and facilities team focused their energy on the startup and commissioning phases of the systems from the onset of the project,” said TZC Facilities Manager Marco Perez. “After years of designing and planning the complex electrical and lighting systems, it’s very gratifying to see that they look and perform better than we expected.”
Utility lines provide electricity for the roadway and aesthetic lighting systems, and will also power the bridge’s structural health monitors, security systems, and Intelligent Transportation Systems.
Much like the bridge’s roadway lighting, the aesthetic lighting utilizes energy-efficient light emitting diodes, or LEDs. The project’s LEDs are designed with 100,000-hour lifespans, using an estimated 75 percent less energy compared to traditional lighting technology.
