Construction On New Tappan Zee Bridge Reaches Halfway Point
TARRYTOWN, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Construction on the new twin-span Tappan Zee bridge connecting has officially reached the halfway point.
A ribbon of blue steel beams is well on its way to linking Westchester and Rockland over the Hudson River, WCBS 880's Sean Adams reported. The bridge's mid-span towers -- two-thirds complete -- will soon soar 40 stories, from which steel cables will stretch like strings on a harp.
The massive construction project -- one of the largest New York bridge projects in decades -- has seen its share of hardship.
Three were killed after a tugboat crashed into a stationary construction barge near the Tappan Zee Bridge and sank in March. Another two crew members were rescued after another tug boat accident at the end of June 2016.
Just a few weeks ago, a 256-foot construction crane came crashing down on the original bridge, promptings hours of closures and a traffic nightmare for commuters.
No one was seriously injured in the incident -- a fact New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called a 'miracle' at the time.
"Things happen. There are accidents that happen," Cuomo said. But this has been extraordinary in my opinion on the rate of progress and the lack of any serious injuries here."
The first vehicles are expected to cross the first section of the bridge by the end of 2017. The second span is slated to open in 2018.