Temporary New Route from Thruway to S. Nyack

All traffic bore left: motorists heading into the Nyacks made a U-turn, and those heading south continued on Route 9W. Then all traffic into the Nyacks bore right while southbound traffic stayed to the left.

And now everybody has to bear right and find their own ways starting next week.

Get ready for a third traffic pattern staring next week and lasting several months: at the end of the must-bear-right exit ramp, southbound motorists will make a full stop, then turn left onto Hillside Avenue/Route 9W. Those heading into the Nyacks will make a right turn to Route 9W northbound.

For information about the new pattern and lane closures next week, click here.

I’d like to know what you think.

Copyright © Janie Rosman and Kaleidoscope Eyes 2019

Glimpses of the Project from the NYSTA’s Lens

The scenic overlooks are taking shape. Seen from below is Fish and Ship, which is closest to Rockland. When finished, it will look like this:

This is a pretty view from the river between the spans and very different from the underbelly of the Tappan Zee Bridge.

The rebar-reinforced concrete wall extends the length of the bridge and will separate the westbound span’s shoulder from the new path.

Here’s why (bottom of page) you won’t see the falcon’s nest from the road. All photos are courtesy of the New York State Thruway Authority.

As the western anchor span that helped support the Tappan Zee Bridge shrinks, crews continue working on state police Troop T’s new headquarters on the Thruway’s south side and the visitor center and maintenance facility on the north side, both near the Westchester landing, The new path is taking shape; you can see its entrance from that landing onto the bridge.

I’d like to know what you think.

Copyright © Janie Rosman and Kaleidoscope Eyes 2019

The Path, the Dividing Line and a Curious Falcon

A foot bridge at River Road in South Nyack will connect the elevated bridge to Rockland and to the new path. Its precast concrete panels will be covered by more concrete to raise it to grade, per the project.

It was a “do I or don’t I” situation at approximately three p.m. yesterday (above), when the graceful bird finally decided to mug for this very cool photo (below).

The project team reports the photo below is the shared use path’s approximate midway point between Westchester and Rockland.

I wonder where signs like this from the old Tappan Zee Bridge will be placed on the new bridge and path. With the exception of said relic I snapped by luck one day, all photos are courtesy of the New York State Thruway Authority.

About the merge from the newly-routed exit ramp to Route 9W: northbound traffic has a stop sign and has to yield to oncoming traffic.

I’d like to know what you think.

Copyright © Janie Rosman and Kaleidoscope Eyes 2019

New Way to South Nyack; SUP visible from Road

That loopy turn at Exit 10 is more narrow and directs drivers to bear right for South Nyack. Once at the end of the exit ramp, it was difficult to make a wrong turn when the sign below was directing me.

Now on Hillside Avenue/Route 9W northbound, I drove to the S. Franklin Street Extension (east) and saw a westbound car try to share the lane with a bicyclist. You can see how narrow the road is and that it has no shoulders:

There was no way I could make a wrong turn at its end per the sign below.

I was unable to see much of the new path from Clinton Avenue; however, as I drove past Village Hall to the Thruway’s southbound entrance I noticed the in-construction path rising behind the building to where it will connect with the Esposito Trail.

Luckily, I avoided the pothole on the left side of the southbound entrance ramp (it’s just after turning right to the ramp). If you see a pothole on the Thruway or on one of its ramps, then report it at 1-800-POTHOLE (1.800.768.4653).

I’d like to know what you think.

Copyright © Janie Rosman and Kaleidoscope Eyes 2019

A Full Circle Day, and in More Ways than One

Standing on steps near Quay Condominium clubhouse in Tarrytown/© Janie Rosman

People ask about photos I take and post in this blog; twice an editor asked to reprint two and paid me. Today I had a photo request from someone, and that request made me realize my reporting about the bridge project has come full circle in more ways than one.

I received an email asking about a specific blog post; the sender wanted to buy one of its photos. They were taken before I was born, I said, and I reprinted them with permission. A friend reminded me I could have gotten them from someone’s relative who worked on the first Tappan Zee Bridge in the early 1950s.

March 22, 2012, was a balmy night, too warm for a winter coat so I wore a denim jacket, a tee shirt and jeans. I’d never been to the Quay Condominium, where my editor sent me to cover a meeting/project update for residents.

New York State Thruway Authority officials got an earful that night, which began my seven-year (so far, this month) bridge reporting. Most of the photos on this blog are mine; several are from Flickr, and many are from the NYSTA. Permission is secured prior to my using them, and all are properly credited.

Looking at a very different view from the same steps a few years later/© Janie Rosman

Today’s request made me chuckle me because the person who wanted to buy one of the photos I posted of the first Tappan Zee Bridge’s construction needed them for a project with the NYSTA. I researched and guessed (my hunch was confirmed) the person’s company already had those photos . . . directly from the source.

It’s been a full circle day in more ways than one.

I’d like to know what you think.

Copyright © Janie Rosman and Kaleidoscope Eyes 2019