Advisory Issued For Boaters As 24-Hour Bridge Work Begins

On Thursday, the day before Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC began round the clock dredging for the new Tappan Zee Bridge; the U.S. Coast Guard issued a notice to boaters advising them to stay at least 1,000 feet away from barges moored in the Hudson River. The advisory came out on the same day as the first of two funerals was held for victims of a boat and barge accident. 

Following a list of coordinates, the notice states, “When transiting the area mariners should stay clear of these locations by a minimum of 1,000 feet. Mariners are advised to transit the main channel, reduce wake and use extreme caution while transiting the area in the vicinity of the Tappan Zee Bridge paying particular attention to vessel movement and future notices.”

The floating equipment boaters are warned about includes barges, crew boats, tugboats and barge-mounted cranes. The updated information is online at the website for the bridge project under Boater Safety Information.

The dredging now underway will continue through October 31, with crews working 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The work begins from the main navigation channel end of the dredging footprint and will move both the Rockland and Westchester county shorelines of the bridge. The removal of sediment from the river bottom deepens the water level.

Impact pile driving is also under way for the next three months at different locations for future pile foundations. The test pile driving work will be conducted from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and on Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. It will determine structural load capacities to prepare for construction of the new bridge's permanent foundation. 

Other parts of the project began today and continue Tuesday in South Nyack, Tarrytown and on the New York Thruway.

One lane of River Road in South Nyack is closed for reconstruction of the sidewalk in the bulkhead construction area. The work will continue until 3 p.m. today and resume Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. In Tarrytown, test-boring operations continue on thruway property near the Irving Neighborhood from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Tuesday. Survey activity along the southbound lanes of I-87/I-287 temporarily closes a lane between Exit 10 and the bridge from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the same two days. 

Tragedy On The Hudson: A Timeline

Boating Accident Investigation Continues into Next Week 

Grieving Friends, Family Say Farewell to Mark Lennon

Mourning Boat Crash Victim Lindsey Stewart

Boater Who Warned of Barge Danger: ‘Like Brick Walls’ on the River

Nyack Boater Warned of 'Potential of Collisions' Before Fatal Accident

Grieving Familes: 'None of Them Saw the Barge'; Parents Ask for Public's Help

Boat Accident Victim Lennon's Funeral Set for Friday

Funeral Arrangements Set for Boating Accident Victim Stewart

Boating Accident Victims Died of Drowning, Officials Report

Experts: Hudson River Crash Highlights Need for Better Boat Safety Law, Systems

Second Body Found Near Site of Boat Accident

1 Body Recovered, 1 Still Missing After Boating Accident