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Stay away.
The new TZB will be closed for up to an hour during the old bridge's demolition and significant delays are expected and motorists should avoid the area and take alternate routes, the Thruway Authority said.
The demolition will now be held on Tuesday, Jan.15 at 10 a.m.
It was originally set for Saturday, Jan. 12 at 9:30 a.m., before being postponed due to windy conditions.
State Police will stop New York State Thruway traffic (I-87/I-287) approaching the new Tappan Zee Bridge in both directions – between exits 11 (Nyack – South Nyack – US Route 9W) and 9 (Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow – Route 9) – at approximately 10 a.m. for at least 45 minutes.
Crews will begin to close entrance ramps to the northbound/westbound Thruway at:
- Exit 9 (Tarrytown – Sleepy Hollow – Route 9)
- Route 119 in Elmsford
- Saw Mill Parkway (Exit 22)
Entrance ramps to the southbound/eastbound Thruway will also be closed at:
- Exit 10 (Nyack - South Nyack – US Route 9W)
- Exit 11 in Nyack (Nyack - South Nyack – US Route 9W)
State Police will reopen the ramps and release traffic after Tappan Zee Constructors has determined that the area is safe.
Those traveling in the vicinity of this operation should expect severe delays and plan accordingly, including seeking alternate routes, the New York State Highway Department said.
The controlled demolition is part of the TZC’s on-going efforts to remove the old Tappan Zee Bridge.
In September 2018, TZC with project engineers, learned that the old Tappan Zee Bridge’s east anchor span, which was already out of service, was damaged but stable with certain key components highly stressed. Since that time, the span has been closely monitored, and it has been determined that the original removal plan is no longer the safest method of removal.
Following a careful and extensive review of dismantling operations and additional engineering analyses, TZC has determined that a revised means of controlled demolition utilizing charges is the safest way to lower and remove the span. TZC has hired demolition and salvage experts to plan and accomplish this operation.
The charges will be used to deliberately fail vertical members supporting the span, allowing the demolition team to safely lower the span eastward, away from the main navigation channel, using specialty marine salvage equipment. Marine salvage experts will then remove the material from the river during the following weeks.
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