Name and Location
New New York bridge project, New York, US.

Client
The New York State Thruway Authority and the New York State Department of Transportation.

Project Description
The project involves the construction of a new New York bridge to replace the Tappan Zee. The 4.82-km-long Tappan Zee bridge connects Rockland county to Westchester county in the lower Hudson valley (about 40 km north of midtown Manhattan) and is a vital transportation link that serves an estimated 138 000 vehicles a day.

The megaproject will be the single largest bridge project in New York’s history.

The new New York bridge will be transit-ready for all modes of transport, including bus rapid transit, light rail or commuter rail and will include:
• Eight general traffic lanes, emergency lanes and extra-wide shoulders for immediate express bus services when opened;
• A new toll plaza, with at least three highway speed E-ZPass lanes (the current toll plaza includes only two 60 km/h lanes, as well as 10 km/h E-ZPass lanes);
• A dedicated bicycle and pedestrian path on the northern span;
• Safe scenic overlooks, with anticlimb fencing and security cameras to be monitored 24 hours a day; and
• Strength and capacity provisions to accommodate various mass-transit modes.

Value
The project will cost $3.142-billion to implement.

Duration
Construction on the project is expected to start this year, with completion projected for 2018.

Latest Developments
Fluor announced in December 2012 that the New York State Thruway Authority and the New York State Department of Transportation had selected Tappan Zee Constructors – a Fluor-led team consisting of Fluor Enterprises, the American Bridge Company, Granite Construction Northeast and Traylor Bros – for the multibillion-dollar, design-build contract for the new New York bridge project.

The company’s design reduces the weight of the structure and minimises the number and size of foundations required. The design solution also uses a shallow superstructure and a 350-ft-long span design to minimise the number of piers and provide a sleeker-looking bridge that enhances the view corridors within the lower Hudson valley. The main span is a composite deck cable-stayed structural system, with outwardly inclined main span towers that create an iconic look and accommodate future transit loads. The design will allow for dredge quantities to be reduced from 1.8-million cubic yards to less than one-million cubic yards, reducing environmental impacts, costs, and schedule durations. In addition, the construction schedule will benefit from using the unique heavy lifting equipment that is owned by Fluor and its partner, American Bridge. Construction will take about five years, with completion projected for 2018.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Tappan Zee Constructors (design-build contractor).

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
New York State Thruway Authority, tel +1518 471 5300.
New York State Department of Transportation, tel +1 518 457 6400.
Tappan Zee Constructors, tel +1 914 409 6203 or email opportunities@tappanzeeconstructors.com.