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The Business Council of Westchester
A Big Boost to Region’s Economy
Business Council Helped Pave the Way for New TZ Bridge
One of the largest public infrastructure projects in the nation will soon get underway
with construction of the new Tappan Zee Bridge, a $3.1 billion project that is crucial to the continued economic vitality of our region. The Business Council of Westchester has been
a leading advocate for the fast- tracked plan that will create 45,000 construction jobs.
After more than a decade of delays and $88 million spent on studies, Gov. Andrew Cuomo defied the skeptics and in just 14 months obtained all the necessary approvals and awarded the contract to the joint venture Tappan Zee Constructors
to design and build the new mass transit-ready bridge. Construction of the three-mile long bridge is the single largest bridge project in New York’s history.
The $3.142 billion best value proposal, which was approved
by the New York State Thruway Authority Board of Directors on December 17, was significantly less than the $5.2 billion estimate state and federal transportation agencies had projected for the project. The winning proposal also included a shortened construction timeframe and less dredging of the Hudson River as compared to the two other proposals.
Rendering of New Tappan Zee Bridge Project.
“This historic vote by the Thruway Authority is great news for
the families and businesses of Westchester County. Not only does this proposal offer the lowest price for our toll payers, but it also means tens of thousands of new jobs for our families. Under the leadership of Governor Cuomo, this project is finally becoming
a reality and giving our region’s economy a critical boost,” said Marsha Gordon, President and CEO of The Business Council of Westchester.
Dr. Gordon served as President
of the BuildtheBridgeNowNY.org coalition that helped garner public support for the project. She was also recently named to the Mass Transit Committee for the new bridge.
Thruway Authority officials have estimated that the state will incur another $500 million to $800 million in costs related to project management, environmental
mitigation, financing and stipend reimbursement to the two non- winning proposal firms. The stipend reimbursement will allow the state
to own the proposal submittals and, therefore, incorporate ideas in those design-build bids in the construction of the new Tappan Zee Bridge if necessary. The state has applied for federal financing under the United States Department of Transportation’s Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program.
Work on the new bridge will begin in early 2013 with major dredging work getting underway in August. When completed in 2018, it will be the world’s widest bridge. The road deck of the new bridge will be thicker than the current bridge which opened in December 1955, making it sturdier and safer. The bridge will also feature an unusual design with towers tilted outward for added strength.
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