Tappan Zee Bridge (Nrbelex/WNYC)
(Brian Zumhagen — WNYC) New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says the state is considering turning the existing Tappan Zee Bridge into a “greenway” instead of demolishing it when a new adjacent span is built.
Such a move would turn the current 57-year-old bridge into a walkway, similar to the one spanning the Hudson 45 miles upriver at Poughkeepsie.
Officials have said a new bridge carrying the NY Thruway between Rockland and Westchester counties would cost $5.2 billion, with rail lines and bus lanes costing billions more if added to the project — something transit advocates have been advocating fiercely for, even running radio ads to pressure Cuomo. The current plans for the replacement bridge, supported by Governor Cuomo, has no mass transit option.
Cuomo says turning the current Tappan Zee into a crossing for pedestrians and bicyclists would offer outstanding views and recreational opportunities for visitors.
The walkway idea has been raised by town of Greenburgh Supervisor Paul Feiner.
With the Associated Press
Interesting idea. We could make the thing into a park, with a structure here or there selling food, and – who knows? maybe even some campsites or other facilities.
Yeah, now people will be able to commit suicide without screwing up traffic.
Until someone realizes what an incredible level of disrepair the tappan stands at and figures out it will be cheaper to dredge the rubble out of the river than build it up.
People think, Oh this will be like the HIGH LINE, but they don’t think about how much it costs to keep it in a state of good repair. The HIGH LINE needs three to four million a year and it produces no revenue. The Washington Bridge cost 68 million just to paint.
Cuomo is just throwing a bone to the dog to distract and divide the alt transport activists who are fighting the new bridge tooth and nail.
What I would like to know is how many people would actually use the bridge if it was to become a recreational bridge. Even if it somehow was in the hundreds of thousands a year, how much money will be sunk having such a large bridge just for recreational use? Just incorporate what ever costs it would be to maintain the bridge into transit/recreational uses for the new bridge: saves both time, money, and is most likely safer.