OT: New bridge

[wire chief]

Who will be first to cross the newly open, East-to-West Tappan Zee Bridge? Boneyarders want to know!
(Don't look at me; I'm in Florida.)

 

[HoopsFan21]

Maybe I'll do it! I live about 15 miles away from it.

 

[Fishy]

It's not open quite yet, but it likely will be later on when I head to Rockland.

They're going to have a rolling opening westbound tonight through tomorrow morning. I don't think eastbound traffic will be coming over the span until fall.

Kinda gross that Cuomo named the bridge after his dad, but I suspect people will just keep calling it the Tappan Zee.

 

[Kaizen]

The Tappan Zee is named for an American Indian tribe from the area called "Tappan"; and zee being the Dutch word for "sea".[3] As an integral conduit within the New York Metropolitan Area, it connects South Nyackin Rockland County with Tarrytown in Westchester County in the Lower Hudson Valley.

 

[JustinesGuy]

I drove the old one yesterday! New one looks beautiful! I hope it's enough lanes!! Need at least 5 per side

 

[Biff]

I drove the old one yesterday! New one looks beautiful! I hope it's enough lanes!! Need at least 5 per side

I think that it is 4 lanes in each direction with a separate bike and pedestrian path.

 

[stamfordhusky]

I drove the old one yesterday! New one looks beautiful! I hope it's enough lanes!! Need at least 5 per side

Problem is that there are only 3 lanes once you're off the bridge.

Horrible move to name it after Mario Cuomo, who has no ties to that area at all.

 

[Aluminny69]

Sorry, yarders. Cuomo was the first to drive over the Bridge.

 

[Charliebball]

I've been following the progress of this new bridge as I have friends who live quite near it directly on the Hudson River............one of the few government building projects that has been finished on time and come in on budget..........an amazing and unusual achievement by the State of NY................now we just have to wait and see how much the toll is when they're completely finished...........

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Although I'm no longer in the area - a new bridge was needed 6 years ago when we left. Glad to see they got it done.

 

[JustinesGuy]

Problem is that there are only 3 lanes once you're off the bridge.

Horrible move to name it after Mario Cuomo, who has no ties to that area at all.

I bet it will always be called tappan zee by motorists. I'm calling it tappan zee regardless.

 

[JustinesGuy]

I've been following the progress of this new bridge as I have friends who live quite near it directly on the Hudson River..one of the few government building projects that has been finished on time and come in on budget.....an amazing and unusual achievement by the State of NY......now we just have to wait and see how much the toll is when they're completely finished......

I thought the toll is the same for the next few years.

 

[Charliebball]

I thought the toll is the same for the next few years.

I've seen that too but do you doubt for a second that the tolls will go up when that freeze ends?

Concern again over tolls on Thruway, new Tappan Zee Bridge

 

[chj001]

I still use the following names and always will: Pan Am building, 6th Avenue, Avery Fisher Hall, Triborough Bridge. It's Tappan Zee for me too.

 

[wire chief]

The Tappan Zee is named for an American Indian tribe from the area called "Tappan"; and zee being the Dutch word for "sea".[3] As an integral conduit within the New York Metropolitan Area, it connects South Nyackin Rockland County with Tarrytown in Westchester County in the Lower Hudson Valley.

Well, as long as we're going Dutch, the "zee" is not our zee in Dutch, rather "tsay". Glad I could help.

 

[JustinesGuy]

I've seen that too but do you doubt for a second that the tolls will go up when that freeze ends?

Concern again over tolls on Thruway, new Tappan Zee Bridge

Definitely will. Probably will raise it every year until it hits 8.50 or so.

I believe I remember 2.00 or 2.50. Probably around 5.50 now? Not sure I use easy pass.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I've been following the progress of this new bridge as I have friends who live quite near it directly on the Hudson River..one of the few government building projects that has been finished on time and come in on budget.....an amazing and unusual achievement by the State of NY......now we just have to wait and see how much the toll is when they're completely finished......

On time--On budget---impossible. They must be holding the 10 year delay 2 Trillion overruns in their pocket to be used at a later date. Who ever the REAL (not politician) in charge should have THAT bridge named from him or her--Wow!

 

[cohenzone]

I hope it has a break down lane. About two months ago just as I hit the bridge from Nyack, I had a tire blow. No way I was stopping in a travel lane. Drove at 10 mph on a rim hoping no idiot would fail to see me crawling. Finally got to the far end where they had a widened area on the left just beforezwhere the toll booths were.

I wasn't aware the new one was just about ready. Pretty fast.

 

[JustinesGuy]

I hope it has a break down lane. About two months ago just as I hit the bridge from Nyack, I had a tire blow. No way I was stopping in a travel lane. Drove at 10 mph on a rim hoping no idiot would fail to see me crawling. Finally got to the far end where they had a widened area on the left just beforezwhere the toll booths were.

I wasn't aware the new one was just about ready. Pretty fast.

Very excited, yet not the most complicated project. It's really point A TO B. Compare to the Q bridge and surrounding area project. Not only was a new span completed but re routing of route 34, I 91, and Hamilton street exit. That was truly a massive marvel in engineering.

 

[OldAlum]

I drove back and forth over the old bridge several times in the last couple of months. Always admired the new bridge as I went by. Far from the worst traffic area, even with the construction. Trying to get back from NJ at rush hour was no fun! 287 jammed (and I almost got hit by 2 rolled rugs flying out of the back of a van!) and 95 in lower Fairfield county was a mess. So bad one time that I went up rt 17 to Newburgh. Then faced the backed up traffic on 84 in Danbury to Waterbury! Just no good way!

 

[JustinesGuy]

For get about all this: Here is my question:

Why won't the state of CT address the daily almost 24 hour traffic from Bridgeport to Stamford? Norwalk area on 95 and Merritt is an absolute crawl from 1:30-8:30!!

Why can they not add a few more lanes? It can be done technically. Let's bite the bullet and really fix what needs to be fixed.

 

[cohenzone]

Very excited, yet not the most complicated project. It's really point A TO B. Compare to the Q bridge and surrounding area project. Not only was a new span completed but re routing of route 34, I 91, and Hamilton street exit. That was truly a massive marvel in engineering.

I'm close to the bridge on the west end. The bridge is great. The connection design between 91 and 95 going South and North onto 91 from the West is suicidal. I drive that a lot and drivers not familiar with it get all messed up by lane signs that are misleading and the sudden addition and elimination of lanes. 91 to 95 south is a mess every afternoon rush hour. 5lanes merging into 3. The entrance into 95 north from EllaGrasso Blvd is an accident waiting to happen. Uphill and 400 feet long, you run out of acceleration room especially if traffic going in your direction doesn't let you in. It's easier to merge on when 95 is bumper to bumper.

 

[Charliebball]

For get about all this: Here is my question:

Why won't the state of CT address the daily almost 24 hour traffic from Bridgeport to Stamford? Norwalk area on 95 and Merritt is an absolute crawl from 1:30-8:30!!

Why can they not add a few more lanes? It can be done technically. Let's bite the bullet and really fix what needs to be fixed.

a disgrace for sure...............reminds me of Los Angeles traffic

 

[huskeynut]

Flew over the Tappan Zee, old and new, on Monday returning to Florida. Traveled many times over the old one. Glad to see the new span will open soon. Glad I don't have to drive over it anymore.

 

[triaddukefan]

These massive bridges are amazing to look at.

For get about all this: Here is my question:

Why won't the state of CT address the daily almost 24 hour traffic from Bridgeport to Stamford? Norwalk area on 95 and Merritt is an absolute crawl from 1:30-8:30!!

Why can they not add a few more lanes? It can be done technically. Let's bite the bullet and really fix what needs to be fixed.

Does CT have the money to fix the problem? It would cost BILLIONS I presume.