Final Structure Steel Section Installed On Westbound New TZB

TARRYTOWN, NY — The final section of structural steel on the westbound new Tappan Zee Bridge has been installed.

The final steel section was the smallest assembly placed on the project to date, according to a Thruway Authority spokesman.

It weighted 143,000 pounds, which is 10 times less than some other sections.

The 24-foot section was aligned and secure to the previously installed segments near the the center of the 2,230-foot-long main span.

The final assembly is not anchored with stay cables, unlike other sections of the structural steel on the main span.

The last of the stay cables were recently installed on the Rockland-bound span.

Because the bridge’s roadway expands and contracts depending on the temperature, Tappan Zee Contractors set the final steel section during the early afternoon Saturday, March 25, when cooller temperatures contracted the roadway.

According to officials, as the midday temperatures warmed the area, the roadway slightly expanded, allowing for a precise fit.

Ironworkers then installed bolts in the assembly to complete the connection.

The operation require the use of two barge-based cranes in the main navigation channel.

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Photo credit: Thruway Authority.