New Tappan Zee Bridge To Open For Traffic In August

TARRYTOWN, NY — Get ready to sail across the new Tappan Zee Bridge — the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, as it’s now officially being called — in August. You’ll only be going one direction at the time — to Rockland. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the update at a breakfast event Thursday in New York City.

Beginning the evening of Friday, Aug. 25, four Rockland-bound lanes will shift to the new span, with Westchester-bound traffic staying on the old bridge. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

That configuration will like remain in place for a couple months.

The new bridge, on track to open in 2018 and on budget at $3.98 billion, is one of the biggest active bridge projects in the nation and the largest in the history of the New York State Thruway Authority.

"The opening of the first span of the new Mario M. Cuomo Bridge next month is a clear message that after decades of stagnation, New York is building our transportation infrastructure better, safer and more efficiently than ever," Cuomo said.

"This major milestone in the project to replace the aging Tappan Zee Bridge will be the first step in alleviating congestion for commuters while offering a state-of-the-art link over the Hudson River, built to last for generations to come," he said.

Photo credit: Thruway Authority.