5 injured in crane collapse on Tappan Zee Bridge

Daily News ^ | July 19,2016 | MEG WAGNER

[Hojczyk]

A construction crane toppled over on the Tappan Zee Bridge Tuesday, injuring five people and creating a "traffic nightmare" over the Hudson River, officials said.

Traffic in both directions came to a halt just after noon Tuesday when a crane working to build the new Tappan Zee — due to open in 2018 and replace the current crossing — fell onto the existing bridge, according to the New York Thruway Authority.

At least three drivers and two bridge workers were injured, the Journal News reported. None of their injuries are life-threatening.

South Nyack-Grand View Police Chief Brent Newbury told the newspaper he expects a “traffic nightmare." Aerial video showed parts of the crane lying across all lanes as lines of cars and trucks sat stopped.

[Hojczyk]

[Hojczyk]

[Cuttnhorse]

I have managed large, Yuge, construction projects for mining companies all over the world, and I promise, if there is a crane on the job, it will be involved in an accident. The only question is how much damage will it cause?

[Shady]

...and who is the numbnut who decided to build a bridge over the widest part of the river (1956)? AND THEN REPLACE IT! (2016)

[DuncanWaring]

...who is the numbnut who decided to build a bridge over the widest part of the river...

Someone with a brother-in-law who owned a bridge-construction business.

[soycd]

Look for the union label.

[SamAdams76]

It might be the widest part of the river but it is also one of the shallowest parts of the river. This is the reason they built the bridge there. From an engineering standpoint, it was easier to construct.

I am in that area frequently and I can only imagine the disruption this is causing on I-287 and surrounding roadways. Good thing I won't be anywhere near there today.

The construction site is something to see. Dozens of cranes involved.

[Larry Lucido]

Someone wanting to tap in ze bridge profits.

[Cobra64]

Apparently it had to do with ingress/egress logistics (towns) on both sides of the Hudson.

[BluH2o]

Lived in Fairfield County (SW) CT for many years. Crossed the Hudson on the Tappan Zee hundreds of times. Tremendous volume of traffic on the bridge pretty much 24/7. The traffic backup will be a major nightmare, no question.
As an aside a barge crashed into the bridge several months ago. If I recall correctly there were casualties.

[oh8eleven]

...and who is the numbnut who decided to build a bridge over the widest part of the river (1956)? AND THEN REPLACE IT! (2016)
From Wikepedia:

"The site of the bridge, at the Hudson River's second-widest point, added to construction costs.
The site was chosen to be as close as possible to New York City, while staying out of the 25-mile (40 km) range
of the Port Authority's influence, thus ensuring that revenue from collected tolls would go to the newly created
New York State Thruway Authority, and not the Port Authority."

Politics ... go figure.

[Cobra64]

My wife commented from Rockland to White Plaines every day over that bridge for 15 years from 1985-2000. Even back then, the traffic was horrible.

[Stentor]

...and who is the numbnut who decided to build a bridge over the widest part of the river (1956)? AND THEN REPLACE IT! (2016)

It was this guy named Van Winkle.

[Col Frank Slade]

People will have to divert to the GWB, making that an even more horrendous traffic jam than it normally is.

Or go north to Newbugh Beacon bridge or Bear Mountain.

A huge mess.

[Raycpa]

She was already texting in 1985?

[FlipWilson]

Holy Cow!!! Just crossed that yesterday on the way home from a vacation. We almost stayed an extra day. Glad we didn’t.

[Haiku Guy]

New York wanted to build a replacement bridge at a much narrower point a few miles downstream. But it was to have been a single span and it would have cost much, much more than this replacement project.

Putting the new bridge here was, by far, the least expensive option.

[Haiku Guy]

Some men on the tug were killed.

[Haiku Guy]

You almost stayed an extra two days.