Work is continuing on the temporary all-electronic toll collection (AETC) system gantry on the southbound side of the New York State Thruway (I-87/I-287) near exit 10 in South Nyack. Over the next few weeks, foundations will be installed to support the gantry over the roadway. The gantry will carry the cameras and equipment that will allow tolls to be collected at normal highway speeds, reducing traffic delays and air pollution. The temporary gantry will replace the toll plaza on the Westchester side of the bridge during construction and is scheduled to be operational and ready for testing in 2015. The temporary AETC system is scheduled to being collecting tolls in late 2015 or early 2016.
Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) also will continue assembling the formwork that will shape the bridge’s landing on the Rockland shoreline. The steel, concrete and earthen abutment will form a strong base for the new crossing where it meets the landside roadway.
Pile Driving and Other Construction Activity
Construction will continue in the Hudson River as crews place the foundations of the new bridge. Work will include pile driving from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday and noon to 7 p.m., Saturday.
A second shift of workers also will continue pile welding, pile cleanout and concrete placement operations associated with foundations.
TZC will continue limited concrete placement for foundations near the South Nyack shoreline. In the absence of the project’s floating batch plants, which were temporarily taken out of service last month after a silo failed, the concrete for this work will be acquired from local concrete suppliers and will be delivered by truck to the Rockland trestle located off of the New York State Thruway (I-87/I-287) southbound access ramp. Trucks will exit the trestle to the Thruway via the northbound access ramp. The access ramps give construction vehicles a safe route directly to the work site and reduce traffic impacts on local roads.
Westchester Landing foundation operations continue as crews work to construct the land based piers and abutment for the new bridge.
Additional work includes:
- Pile cap foundation construction
- Main span foundation construction
- River Road utility work
- Support for river-based work from the Rockland trestle
- Survey inspections on existing bridge
Boater Safety
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 this 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/index.html?layer=incidents for real-time information regarding traffic conditions.
