New Tappan Zee bridge in NY pegged at $5.2 billion

Associated Press ^ | October 12, 2011 | Jim Fitzgerald

[decimon]

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (AP) — The cost of a new Tappan Zee Bridge in the New York City suburbs has been shaved to $5.2 billion by focusing solely on the bridge, a federal agency said Tuesday.

In the past, mass transit components, ranging up to a new commuter rail line, were considered key elements of a new span over the Hudson River.

President Barack Obama chose the project Monday for quick federal approval of environmental and other permits, and the Federal Highway Administration said those could be obtained within a year. Construction, creating thousands of jobs, could begin soon afterward, it said.

>

In 2008, several designs for a new bridge were unveiled, with costs estimated at the time at $9 billion to $16 billion depending on which mass transit options were included. The possibilities ranged from upgraded bus service to light rail to an east-west commuter rail line that would link several existing north-south routes.

The FHA said the cost could have exceeded $21 billion.

>

[Oratam]

"While the bridge is an engineering masterpiece, the writer cannot help but feel that it is unfortunately situated and destroys one of the finest water vistas in the world."

Arthur G. Adams
The Hudson, a guidebook to the river

[ml/nj]

The cost of a new Tappan Zee Bridge in the New York City suburbs has been shaved to $5.2 billion

The existing bridge was completed in 1955 at a cost of $80.8 million.

ML/NJ

[SuperLuminal]

"...I used to love it as a kid, heading up to New england for visits..but I’m cautious now...and take a longer way around. "

I first drove across the TZ shortly after it was opened. (Lived in CT)

Wasn't the TZ that drove me further north in frequent trips to CT. It was I-95/NJ Tp rat-race and expense.

From MD, I-83 to Harrisburg, I-81 to Scranton, and I-84 across PA & NY into CT. 60-Miles further but relaxing, cheaper, and usually takes close to the same amount of actual driving time.

Only drawback (for me...the driver) are the snow storms starting in early Dec. OTOH, big plus for the wife is the two casinos an hour-and-a-half apart on I-83.

Therefore, a 6-hour drive takes usually 16-, or 17-hours.

[dayglored]

>> The cost of a new Tappan Zee Bridge in the New York City suburbs has been shaved to $5.2 billion

> The existing bridge was completed in 1955 at a cost of $80.8 million.

Is that $80M in 1955 dollars or 2011 dollars? I would assume the former, and thus it would be many times that in 2011 dollars, due to inflation.

(I was only 3 in 1955. But for instance in 1969 gas cost 0.29/gal and a pack of smokes was $0.35 and now they're well over 10 times that.)

But even 20 times $80M is still only $1.6B.

[jpsb]

5.5 Billion? WTF!

[dennisw]

Shea stadium (NY Mets) was completed in 1970 for 15-25 million depending on who you read. The new Mets stadium was recently completed at one billion. Inflation only explains a fraction of the price increase for this and the Tappan Zee Bridge. My take is the new stadium is more luxuriously built. Americans were modest in 1970 about what they expected in a baseball park. Factor two is tons more Gov’t regulations and need to hire expensive lawyers and architects to comply with them

Mens rooms in the old stadiums were stinkin holes. One just had a long piece of sheet steel you pissed against communally. This was good enough for me but no stadium today is built like this.

[ml/nj]

But even 20 times $80M is still only $1.6B.

That was sorta my point. I guess we should be grateful that they shaved costs.

ML/NJ

[ml/nj]

I should also say that I don't think that back in 1955, that it cost anyone in Idaho even a dime; unless they came to NY and drove across the bridge.

ML/NJ

[Labyrinthos]

Double it to factor in NY State corruption and incompetency.

And cut the price in half if not for New York's prevailing wage laws that require all contractors, union and non-union, to pay "prevailing wages and benefits" to their employees. The prevailing wages and benefits are set by union thugs at the NYS Department of Labor to match the wages and benefits in the most recent collective baragining agreement for that particular trade in that area of the state even though only a small number of contruction workers in the state are union.

[dayglored]

> Mens rooms in the old stadiums were stinkin holes. One just had a long piece of sheet steel you pissed against communally. This was good enough for me but no stadium today is built like this.

I've been in some Country bars and dance halls that have exactly that type of accommodation. Yeah it stinks by the end of the night. But it works well and it saves on flush water. And it's easy to hit when you're staggering.

One local bar owner painted little black dots on the center of the sheet that looked like houseflies. It improved everybody's aim considerably. You're a guy so you know what I mean. LOL.