State Picks Shared-Use Path Plan for the New Bridge over the Hudson

 A final design has been selected for the New NY Bridge shared-use path connections. 

The Thruway Authority’s ultimate design selection – dubbed “Alternative F” – was chosen after a thorough review of its impacts and benefits to the local communities, said Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo in his announcement Tuesday.

South Nyack Mayor Bonnie Christian said: “This is fantastic news for our community. Alternative “F” was overwhelmingly supported by our residents, and we are extremely pleased with this outcome. On behalf of South Nyack, I thank Governor Cuomo and the Thruway team for listening to—and acting on—our concerns.” 

The shared-use path will be located on the northern span of the New NY Bridge, and its end points in South Nyack and Tarrytown will accommodate bicycle and pedestrian connections, and include new parking lots and visitor facilities.

Tarrytown Mayor Drew Fixell said: “We’re looking forward to the opening of the shared-use path and eagerly anticipate that this amenity will provide an enjoyable experience for our residents, visitors and businesses.”

“The New NY Bridge is a transformational project that will make travel safer and more efficient for residents and visitors. The process for selecting the shared-use path connections showcases the progress that can be achieved when we focus on community engagement and delivering results for the people we represent,”  Cuomo said. “These community additions will make it easier for bicyclists and pedestrians to take advantage of the new bridge, and add new amenities on both sides of the Hudson. Today’s announcement provides yet another addition to the New NY Bridge’s overall vision of a 21st Century infrastructure network.”

After complaints and lobbying by officials and residents in South Nyack, the New York State Thruway Authority agreed to evaluate alternatives that terminated within Interchange 10 and provided substantial distance from the nearby South Nyack residential neighborhood.

 “Alternative F” Design Features:

At the Rockland County end of the shared-use path, a 54-space parking lot and comfort station will be constructed on vacant land within the southeastern section of Interchange 10 in South Nyack. Drivers will access the parking lot from Route 9W. As part of the plan, the on-ramp to the southbound Thruway from South Broadway will be permanently closed. However, drivers will still be able to access the northbound and southbound Thruway from Route 9W.

At the Westchester end of the shared-use path, a 30-space dedicated parking lot, visitor pavilion and outdoor seating will be provided on Thruway property north of Interstate 87/287, adjacent to Interchange 9 in Tarrytown and the new Thruway maintenance facility being reconstructed as part of the bridge replacement project. On weekends and during non-work hours, an additional 105 parking spaces will be available to the public. Construction on the path linking Rockland and Westchester Counties is expected to begin in 2017, and is slated to open concurrent with the completion of the twin-span New NY Bridge in 2018. The total cost to implement Alternative F is approximately $16 million.

Learn more about Alternative F here.

As part of the project’s on-going outreach efforts, the New NY Bridge team will host two meetings this week to update the community on the latest construction progress as well as what lies ahead. Following a video presentation, a panel of representatives from the Thruway Authority and senior members of Tappan Zee Constructors will answer questions from attendees:

Tuesday, June 14: Washington Irving School103 S. BroadwayTarrytown, NY 10591
Wednesday, June 15: Nyack High School 360 Christian Herald RoadUpper Nyack, NY 10960

State officials said the Federal Highway Administration, the New York State Department of Transportation and the Thruway Authority served as co-lead agencies on the Environmental Assessment and collectively determined that “Alternative F” would not result in any significant impacts that were not previously identified in the project’s Environmental Impact Statement. 

In March, the three agencies co-hosted a pair of Environmental Assessment open houses/public hearings in Sleepy Hollow and South Nyack, which were attended by more than 180 people; officials also accepted comments via mail, email and fax through April 1.

Thruway Authority Acting Executive Director Bill Finch said: "Innovative, sensible solutions that work for local communities are what we strive for in the public sector. Alternative F provides dedicated off-street parking, increases safety and accessibility and, at the same time, doesn’t interfere with future local planning initiatives. When it opens, the shared-use path will offer an exciting new way for people to cross the Hudson River.”

FHWA Administrator Gregory G. Nadeau said: “From its very start, the New NY Bridge Project has been a showcase of environmental stewardship. The work done by the New York State Thruway Authority, the New York State Department of Transportation and the project managers to ensure Alternative F met all federal environmental requirements has been nothing short of incredible, and will serve as a great example for projects of all sizes for years to come.”

About the New NY Bridge:

The New NY Bridge will include eight traffic lanes and four breakdown and emergency lanes which will mean less congestion for motorists. State-of-the-art traffic monitoring and structural health systems will mean the bridge will not need any major structural repairs for 100 years. The twin-span crossing will also include a shared bike and pedestrian path and six scenic viewing areas along the span.

Under Governor Cuomo’s direction, the new crossing also is being constructed to be mass-transit-ready, so it will be able to accommodate bus rapid transit, light rail or commuter rail in the future. The total cost of the New NY Bridge project is $3.98 billion. The design-build contractor for the new bridge is Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC, a consortium of some of the world's best-known and most highly-regarded design, engineering and construction firms, including Fluor, American Bridge, Granite, and Traylor Bros., along with key design firms HDR, Buckland & Taylor, URS and GZA. Tappan Zee Constructors is working closely on the project with a team of employees from the New York State Thruway Authority and the State Department of Transportation.

The New NY Bridge is being completed under a single design-build fixed-price contract with Tappan Zee Constructors. The design-build contract helps keep the New NY Bridge Project on schedule and on budget, because financial risk associated with most cost overruns or schedule delays lies with the contractor, rather than toll payers or taxpayers.Among the project’s many milestones: enactment of new design-build legislation; negotiation of a project labor agreement with construction unions; unprecedented measures to protect the environment and safeguard residents; recommendations from a panel of local leaders and transportation experts for a comprehensive plan for mass transit options for the region; and more than 800 meetings with local communities and stakeholders, including more than 40,000 students.

Earlier this year, Governor Cuomo announced that the 2016-17 state budget allocates $700 million for the Thruway Authority to freeze tolls on the entire Thruway, including the Tappan Zee Bridge, until at least 2020.

High-quality photos of the progress, renderings and video of project construction are available here.