by John Shields

A new replacement Tappan Zee Bridge moves forward. Assuming such a replacement is necessary, and this is still a question, how will it affect the Rockland corridor?

The Thruway has a poor history of good will in this area. When the last current bridge was built much of South Nyack was wiped out by a huge and unnecessary interchange. This after Gov. Harriman promised no bridge through the Nyacks. A location that was totally inappropriate. It was never revealed who benefited form this location.

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South Nyack’s Comprehensive Plan is getting support from the Hudson River Valley Greenway in the form of a $7500 matching grant. The funds will be used to hire a planning consultant to develop a 10-20 year planning document which anticipates the impact of a replacement Tappan Zee Bridge.

“We will be moving forward with the work of hiring a planner to assist the village with the plan in the near future,” says South Nyack Mayor Mayor Patricia DuBow. The last comprehensive plan for the village was completed in 1969.

Last month, South Nyack residents met to discuss an initial survey designed to collect community input. One of the ideas being considered was a “lid park” built on top of 287 as it passes through South Nyack.

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Wed June 30 4p-8p Meeting at Palisades Mall

The times when the average person can have an impact on a $16B project planned to last 100 years are few and far between. Two of those times occur this week when the Tappan Zee Bridge/I-287 Corridor Project hosts open houses asking the public to weigh in on plans for a replacement TZB and regional transit system.

Rockland County residents are invited to The Palisades Center’s 4th floor Adler Community Room on Wednesday 6/30 from 4p-8p. On Monday 6/28, officials will hear from the public at the Westchester Marriott from 4-8p.

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Nyack, June 18 — If you’ve ever walked along the river at Nyack Beach State Park and looked and wondered where Tarrytown ends and Sleepy Hollow begins — or which building on the eastern shore is the famous prison in Ossining — there’s at least one person on the other side asking similar questions about Nyack.

Krista Madsen, who writes a column for Tarrytown.Patch.com, writes about her recent visit to Nyack and her east side perspective on life on this side of the Tappan Zee Bridge.

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Announcing the publication of The Tappen Zee Bridge and the Forging of the Rockland Suburb by Roger Panetta. Available at Pickwick Bookstore

Before the Tappan Zee Bridge, Rockland County was a rural NYC suburb. How the bridge transformed life in the county is the subject of a new 30 minute film and a book premiering on Tues 2/16 in Suffern.

“The Tappan Zee Bridge: Transforming Rockland County,” a 30 minute educational documentary, will be shown on Feb 16 at 12:30p at the Lafayette Theatre, Suffern, NY. Following the film, Roger Panetta’s new book, “The Tappan Zee Bridge and the Forging of the Rockland Suburb” will be introduced with a brief Q&A session with panelists who collaborated on the Tappan Zee Legacy Project.

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by Dave Zornow

Nyack, Jan 3 — Here’s the second installment in our top Nyack stories of 2009 series. Yesterday we counted down ten from 20. Here’s the rest of the best based on Google Analytics reports of NyackNewsAndViews site traffic. Continue reading →

by Dave Zornow

Nyack, Jan 2 — Elections, fireworks, parking, boating, sailing, ROMPing and drinking were some of the big stories of last year. Here’s our countdown of Nyack’s Top 20 news and views of 2009.

This list is based on Google Analytics reports of NyackNewsAndViews site traffic., NyackNewsAndViews averages about 40,000 pageviews with about half of all adults 25+ reading NyackNewsAndViews on a regular basis (hover for details).

Although these are the “top stories” by popular demand, we all know the best performer isn’t always the winner on American Idol. Feel free to click the comment link and add your own suggestions to the list. Or topics you think deserve more attention in 2010.

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AAA New York has published a Bridges To Watch list based on structural examinations from traffic safety experts. The Tappan Zee edges out the Kosciuszko and the Goethals bridge as one of “three worst bridges” in the NY Metro area.

“[The] Tappan Zee tops the list due to its very poor physical condition and lack of shoulders. Made of substandard steel during the Korean War. Approaches built on piles made of wood that are constantly eroding,” says AAA Car and Travel magazine.

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by Dave Zornow

Nyack, Nov 29 — The polarizing national health care debate would seem to have little to do with the regional discussion about a future Tappan Zee Bridge replacement. But there are two similarities: both initiatives are being justified by their long term cost savings and most reasonable people agree that what we have now doesn’t work very well.

Over the past month, transportation officials have been meeting with local leaders and the public to present plans for a $16 billion Tappan Zee Bridge replacement just to the north of the current TZB. If funds can be found, construction of the five year project will start in 2013.

For planners, there are alot of choices still to be made. Project managers have their work cut out trying to find the funds to finance this new project. And commuters have a new vocabulary to learn. Continue reading →