Rendering of Design Proposal 1 for the new Tappan Zee Bridge, NY, estimated to cost $3.142 billion. (New York State Thruway Authority)
Posted on 12/07/2012 7:30:31 PM PST by neverdem
Rendering of Design Proposal 1 for the new Tappan Zee Bridge, NY, estimated to cost $3.142 billion. (New York State Thruway Authority)
A selection committee has recommended a futuristic design for the new Tappan Zee Bridge, with suspension supports leaning outwards, giving the bridge the look of a stripped-down building by Santiago Calatrava.
Calatrava has designed the World Trade Center transit hub, the Milwaukee Museum of Art, and the Athens Olympic stadium.
The New York State Thruway Authority — the agency in charge of the project — will consider the design, along with two others, for a new Tappan Zee Bridge. The three designs were released(PDF) at Governor Cuomo’s cabinet meeting Wednesday.
The designs range from $3.142 billion to $4.059 billion when all estimated costs are totaled. All three proposals are being called “transit ready,” though images of the bridge being recommended don’t show buses or transit on the roadway.
Details of how the proposals will be financed still haven’t been released. Governor Cuomo said both the bridge’s full cost and the amount of federal financing (still unknown) would have to be tallied before a bridge financing plan could be released.
The three designs will be considered December 17th by the Thruway Authority board.
The state had said the bridge would cost $5.2 billion, but had been hoping the cost would be adjusted downward — in part to lower future tolls on drivers.
For more on why the bridge matters nationally, and the planning process to date, see our previous coverage.
More soon on the design details.
Design Proposal 1, seen in daytime, for the new Tappan Zee Bridge. (New York Thruway Authority)
Design Proposal 2 for the new Tappan Zee Bridge. Estimated cost, $3.99 billion. (New York State Thruway Authority)
Design Proposal 3 for the new Tappan Zee Bridge, estimated cost $3.99 billion. (New York State Thruway Authority)
Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge
Thanks...I’ll check it out.
“How does lower future tolls LOWER the price of the bridge??”
I guess they don’t require an IQ test here at FR.
You took the words right out of my keyboard
Always liked the Tappan Zee and took it frequently when I was younger and living in NY. Now I take it once a year and it scares the bejeezus out of me.
The new designs look great. Still, who really thinks it’ll come in under $5B?
Built by my Father. It was the first single cable bridge built. There were no other bids made, because the hurricane season was scheduled to take place before the roadway deck could be laid down.
the bridge is going to cost the same to build no matter what
the toll rate does not affect the price of construction
In the 21st Century is that not possible??
Also known as the “Tappin’ Zee Brakes.”
I’d vote for ‘2’ if the taxpayers want to waste their money on something.
unfortunately it's impossible now to put the bridge where it belongs at a NARROWER spot in the river...
Number 3 looks like an S not a Zee.
Because they are going to charge like $14 or $15 to cross the bridge! Today it’s $5...
I would rather (if I had to cross there) pay a smaller toll both ways, rather than the ridiculously high toll one-way...
How does that reduce construction costs? It doesn’t, it might raise more money later but the cost of building the bridge is independent of what it brings in later.
FReepmail me if you want on or off my New York ping list.
Every Christmas and Easter we used to drive from upstate to visit my Dad’s folks in Thornwood and my Aunt, Uncle and cousins in Stamford, CT. I can still hear dad from 1955 onward as we drove across the Tappan Zee — “look kids, you can see the Empire State Building today.” Dad was like Old Faithful...we could always count on him to tell us to look for the ESB off in the distance. Funny how little things like that stick with you throughout life.
Growing up I always thought the Old Dutch names near NYC were great and I especially liked “Tappan Zee.” It just rolls off your tongue. The Iroquois names across upstate are really cool, too.
It’s a such a shame that the NYC libs worked to destroy the state over the past 60 years. Now I live in CA where the SF/LA/Sac lib axis has worked feverishly to destroy CA, too, over the past 30 years.
Simple, efficient.
Well knowing NYS, they will up the rates on the current bridge well before the new one is completed and apply those “extra” funds to the construction costs...
They will need somewhere to spend all the federal SANDY money! Civilians won’t count when billions are flowing through politicians hands.
(Fixed it...)
I wonder how much less it would cost without union labor and union work rules?
I would estimate about 50% at least.
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