Officials Make Progress On New Tappan Zee Bridge Design; Cost Remains An Issue
At this morning's summit, a panel of officials discussed the bridge's structure, cost and goals.
Photos
Pdfs
The cost of a new Tappan Zee Bridge, transit options and its environmental impact were issues of discussion and debate this morning at the Tappan Zee Bridge Summit in New City.
The Summit—held at the Rockland County Legislature and sponsored by Legislature Chairwoman Harriet Cornell, D-West Nyack —brought together project directors and local and regional experts to discuss the blueprint's progress.
Michael Anderson, the project director, noted officials have narrowed the bridge's design down from six options to two: a single-level structure with trains in the center, and a dual-level structure with trains on the lower level.
Anderson also stressed the importance of moving forward with the project. He noted the bridge must be replaced, that there is no other viable solution and new transit services are essential to help reduce traffic congestion and provide mobility choices.
Project officials also said funding remains an unanswered question. The cost—which has an estimated total price tag of $16 billion—will have to be paid through multiple sources.
"There will need to be multiple funding resources," said Phil Ferguson, the project's finance manager. "There's no single source that can pay for the whole thing. It's unrealistic to think we can get 100 percent federal funding for project."
"Right now is a very tough time for finding money," he added. "Every state agency is in the news dealing with fiscal issues. We have a lot of challenges ahead of us."
Ferguson listed possible sources of income for the project, which include heightened tolls and taxes, and partnerships with public and private organizations.
Ferguson also broke down the tentative cost structure of the project: $8.3 billion will go toward the transit-ready bridge and highway, $1 billion will go toward bus transit and $6.3 billion will finance the rail transit.
Anderson noted smaller elements of the project—like new rail stops—are constantly in flux and still in the planning stages.
"It is likely— and probable—that many options we're discussing now will be changed," he explained.
Jay Michael
3:54 pm on Friday, October 15, 2010
Iraq oil revenue should be used to pay for this. Time these wars start accruing some benefit to us taxpayers instead of adding to the debt. Also why do they need trains on the bridge? Let Rockland come up with the $6.3 billion if they want trains. Why should other counties pay for this. Will other counties get any of the real estate appreciation if that happens? Heads we lose, tails they win. Cost overruns will be story they tell for 100 years. DOT can not even finish a paving a 287 patch and they are going build a 16 billion bridge. good luck with that. TZ bridge will cost $20 to cross.
Bruce Buckley
5:59 pm on Sunday, October 17, 2010
Your question assumes a new bridge is inevitable. Why take the word of the hardly impartial TZB project manager that replacement is the only option? Let the engineers get their heads together and come back with a workable proposal for restoring the bridge we have. It would be far less costly and less of a tax burden on future generations. Let's take a lesson from past and current renovations on bridges a lot older than the Tap, like the George Washington, Henry Hudson and Bronx-Whitestone as well as the really ancient East River spans. Patched-up and proud, they all remain viable, heavy-traffic crossings despite their age.
Thomas Nimmo
2:57 am on Wednesday, November 10, 2010
All of the Bridges you listed were built before the War, and we simply built things to a much higher standard back then. In the 50s and 60s, the US built much less sturdy cantilevered bridges, like the I-35W bridge that collapsed 3 years ago, killing 13 and injuring 145. We are already spending millions of dollars each year maintaining the TZB, as the superstructure is rusting and the pilings are not as secure as they should be. I would Love if Rockland/Westchester had a GWB style bridge that was world famous and would last forever. But the TZB was simply built to a lower standard, and we're already paying the price for it.
Replacing it with a Modern Bridge with no Hump in the Middle that slows Trucks to a Crawl and Rails to get some of the commuters out of their cars, we'll have made an investment in New York's future.