UPDATE: Tappan Zee Bridge Site Gets Own Concrete Plant

Workers began drilling piles for the Tappan Zee Bridge in March. Since then, equipment has slowly accumulated on the Hudson River in New York to help build the bridge. Perhaps the most impressive piece of equipment arrived last week though when a barge-mounted concrete production factory arrived on site. The barge is one of a pair that will make 300,000 cubic yards of concrete for the new bridge span. The two barges are expected to reduce costs throughout the length of the project and also will likely make the project run smoother as the concrete will not need to be transported to the site. Workers will not have to worry about the concrete getting delayed due to traffic or road hazards. Had the decision been made to make the bridge’s concrete at a regular production factory, the Tappan Zee bridge project would have added 30,000 trucks to the road to transport the concrete throughout the duration of the project. The 60 foot by 200 foot barge is capable of producing 125 cubic yards of concrete per hour and can test the concrete in a laboratory located on the barge.

The original three-mile long Tappan Zee Bridge was completed in 1955, and it spans the Hudson River at its widest point connecting Rockland County and Westchester County. Construction on the new bridge began last year after decades of debate over whether to repair the existing bridge or build a new one. Currently, only $1.6 billion, of the $3.9 billion it will cost to build the new bridge, has been committed to the project. New York Lawmakers and officials at the New York State Thruway Authority, the agency overseeing construction of the bridge, are trying to determine who will pay for the $2.3 billion gap in funding.

Over 138,000 cars cross the Tappan Zee Bridge each day. This figure is nearly three and a half times more than the daily traffic that used the bridge when it opened following the Korean War. Due to budget restrictions at the time, the bridge was only designed to last 50 years. Commuters pay $5 each day round trip to use the bridge. This price is kept artificially low due to the lack of other transit options serving Rockland County compared to other areas of New York. By comparison, the George Washington Bridge, also spanning the Hudson River in Upper Manhattan, costs $13. While the New York State Thruway Authority would like to cover the funding gap by increasing tolls on the bridge, many state officials and transportation finance experts believe that this will not be possible as riders could not afford any toll increases.

While work is progressing on the Tappan Zee Bridge, there are still many questions remaining about how the bridge will be financed.  A state agency recently halved a $511 million loan that will be used to finance the project. The money was borrowed from the state’s clean water fund but environmental groups have opposed the use of the money to help build the bridge.  The decision to halve the loan is temporary and could be changed at a later date. In the meantime, the reduced loan amount likely means that tolls on the bridge will increase. Many believe the bridge tolls will cost between $9 and $10.