The Tappan Zee Bridge

Opened in 1955 and with a total length of 16,013 feet (about 3 miles), the Tappan Zee Bridge is one of the longest bridges in the United States. As far as traffic, the bridge handles a daily average of 135,000 vehicles. The current bridge will be replaced by a new span with space for mass-transit. What form of mass transit will be built? Well, as of now a few options are being considered. They are as follows:

• Alternative 1
  “No Build”, maintain the existing bridge and highway.

• Alternative 2
  Bridge Rehabilitation with Travel Demand Management and Transportation Systems Management measures, would rehabilitate the Tappan Zee Bridge, including improvements to ensure that it would comply with seismic guidelines, and implement travel demand management/transportation system management measures.

   

• Alternative 3
  Full Corridor Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), would replace the existing Tappan Zee Bridge with a new bridge. The new bridge would have eight general-purpose and two high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes that would carry a cross-corridor, exclusive-lane bus rapid transit system between Suffern and Port Chester.
  • Option A
    This enhanced version of Alternative 3 includes a more robust BRT service plan and shows the BRT operating along the corridor along a trunk route that is intended to operate like a rail system.
  • Option B
    This option includes the enhanced BRT service plan/trunk route of Option 3A and replaces the combination of dedicated bus lanes on local arterials and bus-way sections in Westchester County (from Alternative 3) with a high-speed bus-way along I-287 between the Tappan Zee Bridge and Port Chester.
• Alternative 4A, 4B, and 4C
  Commuter Rail Transit (CRT) system in Rockland County in addition to a new bridge and the same highway improvements (climbing lanes, HOT lanes) in Rockland County described above.
  • Alternative 4D
    full corridor BRT and Manhattan-bound CRT service. It includes the BRT system of Option 3A and CRT between Suffern and Tarrytown, with a direct CRT connection to the Hudson Line.

[read more @ tzbsite.com & NYTimes.com]