Coast Guard Issues Spring Notice to Hudson Valley Boaters about Bridge Construction

Written by LANNING TALIAFERRO (Patch Staff)

The Coast Guard issued a Notice to Mariners March 26 detailing the construction work in the Tappan Zee and the rules and safeguards for boaters during the construction of the new bridge across the Hudson River from Nyack to Tarrytown.

The work from now until 2017 will involve more than a hundred pieces of floating equipment—including crew boats, tug boats, barge mounted cranes, barges and anchor buoys—and support vessels that will be moored/anchored or transiting from the Westchester shoreline to the Rockland shoreline including the side channels and portions of the main navigation channel.

To navigate that colossal flotilla,

Mariners are advised that the side channels to the east and west of the main channel are closed to vessel traffic and are advised to use only the center 600’ of the main channel to navigate in a north-south direction through the area. Additionally, mariners are strongly advised to stay clear of all construction equipment and support vessels by 1000 feet or more when transiting the area.

Mariners are advised to transit the main channel, reduce wake and use extreme caution while transiting the area in the vicinity of the Tappan Zee Bridge especially during inclement weather and darkness, and pay particular attention to vessel movements...

Additionally there are 16 equipment moorings located on the west side of the navigation channel, 8 to the south and 8 to the north of the bridge...Mariners are advised to stay clear of these locations by 1000 feet or more when transiting the area.

SCREENSHOT: New York Thruway Authority construction camera from marina, 12:30PM April 2, 2015