Page 34: of Maritime Logistics Professional Magazine (Jul/Aug 2019)

33 35

PORT EXPANSION

New ‘Eyes’ on the Prize

Tappan Zee Constructors ‘See’ Below Hudson River with Trimble Marine

Construction Systems and

Teledyne Marine Imaging.

By Kevin Garcia ince 1955, the Tappan Zee Bridge has been a critical thoroughfare for New Yorkers commuting between

Rockland and Westchester Counties, located approxi-

Smately 20 miles north of Manhattan and across the

Hudson River from each other. However, a heavy increase in traf? c and exponentially increasing maintenance costs ulti- mately lead to the decision to replace the historic bridge. The new Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, the longest crossing in the New York State Thruway system, is designed to meet the needs of the future while supporting economic growth.

In 2013, Tappan Zee Constructors was contracted to design required careful design and planning throughout all phases. and build the twin-span crossing. The north span of the bridge The project scope required driving more than 1,000 cylindrical of? cially opened to westbound traf? c in August 2017, and the piles into the Hudson riverbed to create 41 pillars to hold up eastbound span was completed in September 2018. Tappan each span of the bridge. The ? nal phase of the project involved

Zee Constructors began deconstructing the old bridge in 2017 the careful deconstruction and removal of debris from the old – work that continues in 2019. bridge. Making the deconstruction phase more challenging

The new structure is already a landmark, featuring a 3.1- was the accelerated schedule for the project, the sheer size of mile twin span cable-stayed structure. The bridge’s angled the bridge, variable water depths of the Hudson River below, main span towers make it visually striking from all angles. and windy conditions. The ? ow of the Hudson River, wide tide

When fully completed, it will include eight general traf? c ranges, and water clarity and visibility were also major issues. lanes, four emergency shoulders, a shared bike / pedestrian “As soon as the excavator bucket, clam shell bucket, or cut- path and state-of-the-art traf? c monitoring systems. Also ter head on a dredge goes under the water you can no longer unique is that the bridge has been designed and constructed see it, so you really don’t know what’s happening,” said Lou to be mass-transit ready and can accommodate commuter rail. Nash, president of Measutronics Corporation, an integrator of

Trimble Marine technology.

Marine & environmental challenges

Tappan Zee Constructors consulted with Nash, the Mea-

When it began in 2013, the Governor Mario M. Cuomo sutronics team and Trimble to overcome these challenges. The

Bridge was the largest infrastructure project in the US, and it positioning and guidance systems used included Trimble and 34 Maritime Logistics Professional July/August 2019 | |