Creating Connections Over the Hudson River for Years to Come
We are proud to have played a role assisting the New York State Thruway Authority with the replacement of the three-mile-long Tappan Zee Bridge over the Hudson River with The Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, a new cable-stayed, dual-span structure designed to last 100 years. The crossing was long overdue for an upgrade due to the age of the existing bridge as well as increased traffic.
We advised on 2012 procurement of a $3.1 billion design-build contract for the replacement bridge, one of the largest single design-build contracts for a transportation project in the country. We assisted with procurement strategy and contractual risk allocation, drafted procurement and contract documents, participated in industry review meetings, advised regarding proposal evaluations, and were part of the team that negotiated final contract revisions with Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC.
The project received a $1.6 billion Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFA) loan from the federal government. While the final loan amount only covers 33% of eligible project costs, it is still the largest award in the history of the TIFIA program.
“This bridge to me is a testament to our capacity,” said Governor Andrew Cuomo. “It's a physical manifestation of when people say no you can't, you say yes we can; we're the great State of New York. And it's beautiful.”
The new facility roughly doubled the total width of the previous bridge with eight lanes of traffic with a dedicated bus lane, wide shoulders and a shared use path (dedicated bicycle and pedestrian) on the northern span, with six scenic overlooks. The first span opened in August 2017, with a grand opening of the full project in September 2018. Post-opening milestones include the controlled demolition of the eastern half of the retired bridge in January 2019, removing the western half in May 2019, and opening a 3‑1/2 mile bicycle and pedestrian path on the bridge in June 2020.
