New Tappan Zee Bridge

**rb336** · December-18-12, 10:24 PM

They are putting three proposals up for public comment. What would you like?

http://www.newnybridge.com/thruwaybr...mber_195869164

**gazhekwe** · December-18-12, 10:46 PM

I like the price of the first one and the design of the second one. The first one reminds me of goal posts. The third one is so turn of the century.

**rb336** · December-19-12, 12:01 AM

I think #2 gives the best of a traditional suspended arch with the cable stay

**Cincinnati_Kid** · December-19-12, 10:27 AM

Not trying to be funny, but what does a NY bridge have to do with Detroit or Michigan? Unless you're looking for ideas that could be used on Snyder's proposed behemoth.

**rb336** · December-19-12, 03:36 PM

this is the non-Detroit side of the board, kid. just showing how they do things in liberal bastions like NY

**Gistok** · December-19-12, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by rb336

this is the non-Detroit side of the board, kid. just showing how they do things in liberal bastions like NY

... and at twice the price of our own bridge... kinda shows how many layers of kickbacks are required to do this one...

**rb336** · December-19-12, 07:10 PM

The Tappan Zee is more than twice the length of the Ambassador Bridge

**wolverine** · December-19-12, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

... and at twice the price of our own bridge... kinda shows how many layers of kickbacks are required to do this one...

Ditto to RB's post above AND just look at all the piers and caissons that must be constructed. The Ambassador is just alot easier and less complex to build.

**Gistok** · December-20-12, 12:33 AM

Originally Posted by wolverine

Ditto to RB's post above AND just look at all the piers and caissons that must be constructed. The Ambassador is just alot easier and less complex to build.

Yes I've seen it on a map... at just about the widest point in the Hudson River...

**Cincinnati_Kid** · December-20-12, 02:37 AM

Originally Posted by rb336

this is the non-Detroit side of the board, kid. just showing how they do things in liberal bastions like NY

Ok, thanks. I forgot I was in the non- Detroit section, must have had a brain-fart.

**JBMcB** · December-20-12, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by rb336

this is the non-Detroit side of the board, kid. just showing how they do things in liberal bastions like NY

What a wonderful example! Listen to this podcast.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/08/09/139276566/the-tuesday-podcast-a-big-bridge-in-the-wrong-place

Yep, the Tappan Zee is a damn large bridge. Ever wonder why they put it where it is? They could have built it a couple miles downriver and it would have been a third of the size and a fraction of the cost. But nope, they built it at the second widest point of the Hudson - requiring a crazy floating bridge design adopted from military engineering.

Hint: it has absolutely nothing to do with traffic patterns or the geological conditions of the river. It has to do with funding...

**rb336** · December-20-12, 12:05 PM

The major reason was that the bridge was being built with state money, and the Port Authority wouldn't allow another entity to build a bridge in their territory. Well, they'd allow it but only if they got all the tolls. It wouldn't have gotten built anywhere else. Stupid? yes. understandable? also, yes

The structural issues aren't really due to the caissons, but to the fact that it is carrying much higher loads than it was designed for, and construction materials were kind of shoddy due to a shortage caused by the Korean War

I've been across it a couple of times. I didn't like it