South Nyack Residents Complain About Noise From New Tappan Zee Bridge
SOUTH NYACK, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - Actual construction of the new Tappan Zee Bridge has yet to begin, but residents along the Hudson River have already complained about noise, WCBS 880's Paul Murnane reported.
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South Nyack residents have complained about the noise from pile driving on weekends, which officials said is critical to the design process for the bridge.
Residents said the noise was like a horrible hangover.
"It was sledgehammering in your head for hours and hours," resident Anne Bennett told Murnane.
The New York State Thruway Authority said this early work will help actually mitigate noise when actual construction begins.
But 10 residents, who said they weren't warned of the work, have banded together and formed a group to seek more information from New York State. That group is called Neighboring Owners Involved in a Safe Environment, or NOISE.
When actual construction of the new Tappan Zee Bridge begins and what will happen to the current span is still uncertain, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo has expressed confidence that the bridge will be replaced.
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As the state continues to piece together a financial plan to fund the new Tappan Zee Bridge, Thruway Authority Executive Director Thomas Madison hasn't ruled out a hefty toll increase.
"There were a number of options. The state has financing available. The federal government has financing available. So, there are a number of options," Cuomo said when asked about it at an event in New Rochelle on Thursday.
"We're going to have to find the money to do it. It's a tight economy and the state's budget is tight. There's no doubt about it. But sometimes you don't have a choice and we're going to have to replace this bridge," said Cuomo.
What are your concerns when it comes to the new Tappan Zee Bridge? Sound off in the comments section below.
