Nyack Trustees Frustrated With Tappan Zee Bridge Plan

Though South Nyack is set to and bear the brunt of the damage from the new Tappan Zee Bridge, Nyack will be inexorably affected, too.

And Nyack lawmakers are taking issue—particularly with the environmental impact, planned construction and possible tolls.

"In all likelihood it's going to trash the river for a while," said Jen Laird-White, Nyack's mayor. "[And] we're the ones that are going to have the immediate impact."

Laird-White and trustee Steve Knowlton are in the process of drafting a letter to the New York State Department of Transportation, asking officials to extend the public comment period by several weeks.

"All municipalities up and down river are going to draft these letters," Laird-White said.

Currently, the public comment period ends March 15. (Questions can be emailed to tzbsite@dot.state.ny.us.)

Further, the project originally set out to overhaul several miles of the I-287 corridor, but scaled back to just the Tappan Zee Bridge. Nyack trustee Marie Lorenzini said the about-face is a mistake.

"There are inherent traffic and accident problem on the I-287 corrider, and they're now thumbing their noses at it," she said, citing congestion on Route 59 and dangerous conditions near the Airmont exit.

Trustees also expressed trepidation that the bridge—, and have —could possibly result in a toll uptick.

"If you have public transportation that's one thing," Laird-White said. "But [higher tolls] limit people without—and even with—means. We will be prisoners [in Rockland].

Laird-White is set to speak at Tuesday's Tappan Zee Bridge public hearing on the Palisades Center's fourth floor, which runs from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Currently, barges are on the Hudson in the bridge's shadow collecting soil samples for the project. South Nyack lawmakers have been meeting with state officials to discuss the , although the state is still planning to purchase them for the project.