During the overnight of Monday, Nov. 24, three lanes of the northbound New York State Thruway (I-87/ I-287) will be closed to accommodate restriping (i.e., applying lane markers) and a minor shifting of lanes. The triple-lane closure will be in effect from 11 p.m., Monday, Nov. 24 to 4:30 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 25 and will extend nearly five miles between exit 9 (Tarrytown – Sleepy Hollow – US Route 9) and exit 10 (Nyack – South Nyack – US Route 9W). One northbound travel lane will remain open throughout this period. The operation also will require the closure of the exit 10 off ramp from 10 p.m., Monday, Nov. 24 to 4:30 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 25. Exiting motorists will be directed to use exit 11 and follow signs to Route 9W and Route 59. In the event of rain or snow on Monday the above closures will move to Tuesday, Nov. 25.
No Thruway lane closures will occur from Wednesday, Nov. 26 to Monday, Dec. 1 in observance of the busy Thanksgiving holiday travel season as part of Governor Cuomo’s Drivers First Initiative, which focuses on the convenience of motorists to ensure that disruptions are as minimal as possible for drivers at highway and bridge construction projects across the state.
Work Continues on Stormwater Management Pond South of Thruway in Tarrytown
Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) has begun clearing a work zone immediately south of the Thruway in Tarrytown to prepare for the construction of a stormwater management pond. The pond will help control the flow of stormwater by collecting and retaining runoff. Excavation will follow the clearing and a retaining wall will be installed next spring. TZC will employ noise, dust and other mitigation techniques to minimize impacts to local residents.
Continued Demolition of Westchester Landing of Existing Tappan Zee Bridge
A small section of the existing Tappan Zee Bridge’s Westchester landing will be removed during overnight hours next Monday and Tuesday to make room for the new bridge. The work will require the closure of the northbound Thruway’s two right traffic lanes approaching the bridge to construct the abutment and the first foundation pier for the new northbound bridge, which is due to be completed late 2016. The two lanes will be closed between 8 p.m., Monday, Nov. 24 and 4:30 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 25 and 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 25.
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 between 7 a.m. and 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.
Related to the Westchester landing work referenced above, work is continuing on the new bridge’s landings on both sides of the river. In Westchester, work includes drilling holes into the bedrock for the foundation of the landing. In Rockland, a similar operation is improving the strength of the soil by using aggregate piers, which are constructed with a drill that mixes soil and aggregate (i.e., crushed stone) to form a strong base for the new bridge’s abutment and foundation. The drilling process is less audible than impact pile driving and noise-reducing measures are being implemented to further minimize sound levels. The eight-week operation is anticipated to conclude in late November.
Additional work includes:
- Pile cap foundation construction
- Main span foundation construction
- River Road utility work
- Rockland trestle construction, including pile driving
- 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.
