The Tappan Zee Bridge became a parking lot Tuesday when a construction crane collapsed on the span injuring four people, shutting down traffic and trapping motorists for hours.
All but one of the lanes of the Tappan Zee Bridge reopened late Tuesday following the collapse of a giant crane.
The southernmost of the southbound lanes has sustained serious structural damage, Gov. Andrew Cuomo Cuomo said.“It is what I would call significant damage. It’s clearly visible,” he said.
“We don’t know exactly what caused the malfunction,” Gov. Cuomo said after being briefed on the incident. “Sometimes equipment breaks and sometimes accidents happen. As simplistic as that sounds sometimes that’s all there is to it.”
That lane sustained both surface damage, and damage underneath the bridge, Cuomo said.
Some surface plates had be put in place, and barriers had to be moved, ahead of the lane reopenings, Cuomo said.
Still, Cuomo advised that to avoid traffic jams, alternatives might be a good idea Tuesday evening even with lanes open in both directions. The George Washington Bridge, the Kingston Bridge and the Bear Mountain Bridge are all options, he said.
The Lincoln Tunnel far to the south, and the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge 57 miles to the north, are also potential options, CBS2’s Dave Carlin reported.
During the bridge closure masses of commuters had the sinking feeling of “so close and yet so far.”
Cuomo said the crane was sitting on the deck of the bridge under construction and was carrying a vibratory hammer when it collapsed. He said the crane and the hammer were being used to drive pilings into the earth, a routine construction procedure.
Cuomo said the crane was sitting on the deck of the bridge under construction and was carrying a vibratory hammer when it collapsed. He said the crane and the hammer were being used to drive pilings into the earth, a routine construction procedure.
Cars stuck on the bridge were turned around and sent back in their direction of travel. Cuomo said all the vehicles had been removed from the bridge and approaches.
Hours after the incident, work crews began taking apart the metal crane to clear it from the roadway.
Hours after the incident, work crews began taking apart the metal crane to clear it from the roadway.
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