Bridge Art incorporates Pieces of Tappan Zee; Lingering Thoughts
As the bridge project and my time documenting it are completed, I twice walked from South Nyack to Tarrytown in June. It won’t be the last time as those 3.6 miles afford gorgeous views of the Hudson Valley. Once to took the free shuttle bus that operates Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays back to my car at the South Nyack landing. The second time Trooper Griffin of State Police Troop T drove me across the bridge to the South Nyack landing as it was Thursday, and I’d forgotten to bring fare for the shuttle back. Appreciated the ride and conversation.
Thank you for reading my blog, which I began after two community meetings with business leaders. Notable moments from this project, one of my more fascinating assignments, include President Obama’s visit to Tarrytown, the super crane’s arrival, its first girder assembly placement, the main span towers’ completion and the westbound span’s opening day.
APPROACH (Fitzhugh Karol) Brooklyn
Fast forward to June 2020: the long-awaited path on that span opened, affording a bit more space to bicyclists than to pedestrians and highlighting the importance of safety, speed and consideration within in its 12-foot width. Sculptures at each landing — one above in South Nyack, two below in Tarrytown — contain reclaimed steel from the Tappan Zee Bridge.
UNTITLED, FOR IMRE LENDVAI (Thomas Lendvai, Ronkonkoma)
About the Tappan Zee: I agree with a friend that the governor was disingenuous at best for ignoring the indigenous name for the area and for ignoring its history by renaming the new bridge for his late father.
The structure cost more than its initial price tag and took longer to complete than its contracted five years and two months, and the design-build team sued the state for $900 million in extra costs last November. Did you know the initially-proposed “light rail” was never to be built? If it was, then where would it connect to exiting rail lines? Now you know.
CURRENT (Cheryl Wing-Zi Wong, Brooklyn) Sculpture
If you’ve read something within this blog that sparks a memory or would like to learn more about the new bridge, then visit Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge. The New NY Bridge website is archived on that site and will remain live or follow links within this blog to its pages.
You can find me via the About/Contact page. Till we meet again on the path . . . or something inspires me to continue here.
I’d like to know what you think.
Copyright © Janie Rosman and Kaleidoscope Eyes 2020
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