Officials: Commuter Rail Will Likely Come 10 Years After New Tappan Zee Bridge

For many, the idea of a new Tappan Zee Bridge is a distant one. And for those anticipating mass transit across the Hudson, the wait will be even longer.

At a workshop at Clarkstown Town Hall last night, residents and town, MTA and Thruway representatives weighed in on the proposed new bridge. And officials noted that commuter rail across the Hudson would not materialize until about a decade after the new bridge is completed.

"We'll equip the bridge with the room and strength to later accommodate mass transit," explained Mike Anderson, who works for the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT).

Anderson said the rationale is tethered to high costs; installing commuter rail on the bridge could cost up to $7 billion. To offset the price tag, officials noted a tiered approach was best.

"But there is no schedule at this point for implementing commuter rail," he continued. "It could be sooner if another state gives up its high speed rail money and New York gets it."

Anderson added that taxpayers will finance a major portion of the project.

Some residents, however, are opposed not to the wait, but to what commuter rail would mean for Rockland—like a train station in West Nyack.

"We're concerned with the overhead rail line that will go over the top of Clarkstown Reformed Church [on Strawtown Road]," explained West Nyacker Madeline Muller, referring to a plan proposed by NYSDOT.

"It will affect the residents that live there," she added. "Plus there are several historic homes in the area, there will be traffic all along the backroads and West Nyack . It's just going to create havoc."

"You're stealing our town, your stealing our beautiful air," another resident added, interrupting Anderson's presentation. “We don’t want that in West Nyack.”

The workshop also focused on possible improvement to the Thruway and interchanges that go hand in hand with a new bridge. One tentative overhaul would add more low-speed lanes between interchanges 12 and 14A, where slow-moving trucks often tie up traffic and create unsafe passing conditions.

Another proposal suggested renovating Exit 11 in Nyack by relocating the eastbound ramps 600 feet to the west and upgrading Route 59. "This intersection is a disaster—it fails operationally," Anderson said.

But Anderson also noted that for the project to be carried out in its entirety, the government would have to seize certain properties. "Unfortunately, there are houses and businesses that will be taken," he explained.

It is a prospect that upset nearly all of the 80 or so residents in attendance.

"The Thruway Authority is basically trying to run a high speed operation through Clarkstown," said David Hagerty, a town resident. "It's going to interrupt businesses and neighborhoods."

As the night came to a close, town supervisor Alex Gromack explained that the project is beyond Clarkstown's control.

"This is bigger than Clarkstown, this is bigger than Rockland," he said. "[Clarkstown] has absolutely no planning authority, but we can act as a forum where residents can raise concerns."

Residents who want to reach out to the NYSDOT or voice concerns can visit the website or call (914) 358-0600.