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

TBT: Controlled Demolition of East Anchor Span

Crowds gathered to watch this time last year. Here it is in real time and in slow motion courtesy of Kevin P. Coughlin/State of New York. The section looks like it’s floating on the water; however, the perfect fall caused its columns to drop to the river bottom.

Demolition experts placed charges on vertical support structures along the span of the bridge. The charges were timed to detonate in a way that would safely lower the remaining structure eastward, away from the Hudson River’s main navigation channel, according to a fact sheet released by the construction project.

Fitting it happened this month: January 2013 was when the Thruway Authority issued Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC) Notice To Proceed.

I’d like to know what you think.

Copyright © Janie Rosman and Kaleidoscope Eyes 2020

Second Outreach Center closes; New Exit 10; SUP Work continues; Toll Relief for Local Residents

What remained of the Tappan Zee Bridge lingered into 2019: its east anchor span was to be demolished, then weather intervened, and then it happened. A new configuration to Thruway Exit 10 eliminated a portion of the loop, where motorists could exit to Clinton Avenue; second and third traffic patterns for the exit were to follow.

Work continued on the westbound span’s path and connecting spur path, the old bridge’s supports were disappearing, and four Peregrine falcon chicks needed names. The west anchor span was removed, local students named the chicks, new webcams showed progress on the landings, and my mom took her first car trip across the new bridge.

Low turnout was reported at July’s toll advisory panel meetings; ArtsWestchester and the Thruway Authority asked artists to propose ideas for a mural and bicycle racks. A broken car on en route to the iconic concert 50 years ago became a “how we met” story for their children and grandchildren.

Come fall, New Yorkers chose a new state license plate (some wanted the design above, which was not one of the five choices), and further changes were made to Exit 10 yet did not relieve traffic. People noticed the I Lift NY left the project site five years after its arrival in Piermont.

A completely reconfigured Exit 10 opened in early October, one scenic overlook was completed the following month, and residents of bridge-bordering counties learned about minimal future toll increases. Although the Nyack Outreach Center closed this month, educational programs continue into spring/summer.

The path, its hours to be determined, is expected to open sometime next year.

It would have been wiser not to leave my hat on the bus: temps were freezing that day! Photo/Gov. Cuomo’s staff

I’ve covered this story since March 2012, when an editor sent me to hear residents’ concerns in Tarrytown. Plans for the project’s anticipated progress — detailed in subsequent meetings — became reality with each turn of the calendar. Freelance reporting is pure joy and sometimes challenging, and this has been both.

I’d like to know what you think.

Copyright © Janie Rosman and Kaleidoscope Eyes 2019

TBT: Early 1950s South Nyack prior to the TZB

Photo of the South Nyack train station, the Blue Flame, Eddie Nolan’s Restaurant Bar, and Gus Gaetjen’s Garage prior to being razed.

Demolition for the Tappan Zee Bridge and the New York State Thruway’s Exit 10 carried on in front of them February 1, 1954, less than two years before the bridge opened.

Photo of this former village landmark was taken in 1953; the station, located on Cornelison Avenue, was photographed in 1951.

Progress has again changed the village: there’s a new traffic pattern at Exit 10, and the greenery and solace found within the Esposito Trail to be replaced by a side path alongside the cinder trail.

Images are courtesy of the Nyack Library, New York Heritage Digital Collections, https://cdm16694.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/nyacklib/id/359/rec/3

I’d like to know what you think.

Copyright © Janie Rosman and Kaleidoscope Eyes 2015

TBT: Super Crane makes First Girder Placement

It recently left the construction site, its job completed; however this day was memorable for the project and for me to watch: the first steel girder assembly was hoisted and placed onto the New NY Bridge during a seven-hour process.

The 1,110-ton, 400-foot girder assembly – three beams assembled at the Port of Coeymans – was hoisted onto the new bridge’s 14-foot-thick foundation.

Dave Capobianco, a New NY Bridge project manager, said the communications conduits and wiring are not on this initial assembly and will be on the next two-girder segment still being worked on at the port.

During the summer, barges continue loading girders from the port, unloading them at the project site and either coming to or going from both locations.

I remember the 2012 and 2013 meetings that talked about shifting traffic from the current bridge to the new northern span in late 2016 or early 2017.

I’d like to know what you think.

Copyright © Janie Rosman and Kaleidoscope Eyes 2015