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94-592: The Tappan Zee Bridge , officially named the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge after the former New York governor , is a twin cable-stayed bridge spanning the Tappan Zee section of the Hudson River between Tarrytown and Nyack in the U.S. state of New York . It was built to replace the original Tappan Zee Bridge opened in 1955, which was located just to the south. The bridge's north span carries

188-532: A pentito , or informer, and serving life in prison, told The Guardian in 2016 that the Sicilian Mafia had planned to assassinate Governor Cuomo on a visit to Italy in November 1992. The plan was for about a dozen gunmen armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles and explosives to ambush Cuomo. Avola's godfather , Aldo Ercolano, considered that Cuomo would be an "excellent target". Avola stated, "The aim

282-578: A "fast track" for approval by the Obama administration . On December 17, 2012, New York state officials dropped their proposal for a 45 percent increase on the State Thruway toll for trucks, while advancing a $ 3.14 billion project to replace the bridge. The project was funded through a public-private partnership . Construction began as scheduled in October 2013, with completion targeted for 2017. TZC,

376-405: A $ 3.142 billion contract to Tappan Zee Constructors (TZC), whose proposal was not only the least expensive but also promised the shortest construction timeline and included plans to minimize environmental impact. Originally, some motorists thought that bridge tolls could more than double (to $ 12–$ 15 for automobiles, eastbound only), rising to those of New York City's Hudson River crossings. However,

470-547: A New York-issued E-ZPass, or $ 6.61 with an out-of-state E-ZPass. The Hudson Link BRT runs the HO3, HO5, HO7, and HO7X across the bridge. In the summer months Hudson Link also runs free shuttle buses on the route of the HO7 bus. Responding to widespread concerns about the lack of new public transit services, bridge planners agreed only to build one "dedicated express bus lane" in each direction for use during rush hour . Construction on

564-452: A bill to name the bridge after his late father, former Governor Mario Cuomo , on June 29, 2017. This has been met with significant opposition from residents of nearby localities, largely due to the fact the new name did not include "Tappan Zee" like its predecessor; this name has been viewed as an homage to the Tappan tribe that inhabited the area as well as Dutch settlers who arrived during

658-811: A family of Italian origin. His grandfather Donato came to the US in 1896. Mario Cuomo's father, Andrea Cuomo, was born in New York City in 1901 but in 1904, aged two or three, was taken back to a mountain village outside Salerno , Campania , returning to the USA on his US passport more than two decades later. Andrea Cuomo was from Nocera Superiore , Campania, and his mother—Immacolata Giordano—was from Tramonti, Campania . The family ran Kessler's Grocery Store in South Jamaica, Queens . Cuomo attended New York City P.S. 50 and St. John's Preparatory School . Cuomo

752-446: A final agreement over the budget, but as he could not, he made an announcement at 3:30 p.m. that day: It is my responsibility as governor to deal with this extraordinarily severe problem. Were it not, I would travel to New Hampshire today and file my name as a candidate in this presidential primary. That was my hope and I prepared for it. But it seemed to me that I cannot turn my attention to New Hampshire while this threat hangs over

846-402: A flat rate. E-ZPass users pay the lowest rate possible, the rate normally charged from 12:00 midnight to 6:14 a.m., while other users are charged using the highest rate possible, the rate normally charged from 7:00 a.m. to 8:59 a.m. Class 2L vehicles, which have a height of less than 7.5 feet (2.3 m) and contain two axles, pay a flat rate of $ 7.48 at all times, $ 5.75 with

940-471: A longstanding lawsuit against his former firm regarding $ 4 million in legal fees. In addition to practicing law, Cuomo worked as an adjunct professor at St. John's University School of Law . Cuomo first became widely known in New York City in the late 1960s when he represented "The Corona Fighting 69", a group of 69 home-owners from the Queens neighborhood of Corona , who were threatened with displacement by

1034-462: A pointedly disparaging reference to Mr. Cuomo in a recorded interview with The New York Times that was not to be made public until Mr. Koch's death". Cuomo ran on his opposition to the death penalty, which backfired among New Yorkers as crime was very high. Cuomo then went negative with ads that likened Koch to unpopular former mayor John Lindsay . Meanwhile, Koch backers accused Cuomo of antisemitism and pelted Cuomo campaign cars with eggs. Cuomo

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1128-498: A series of humorous Super Bowl XXIX television advertisements for the snack food Doritos shortly afterwards, in which they discussed the "sweeping changes" occurring. The changes they were discussing turned out to be the new Doritos packaging. In Cuomo's first term as Governor of New York State, he produced a balanced budget and earned the highest credit rating over the long term for the State in one decade. His philosophy in leading

1222-487: Is 139 ft (42 m). Upon completion, the new Tappan Zee Bridge became one of the widest cable-stayed bridges in the world, having a combined width across both decks of 183 feet (56 m). The new spans equal the width of the relatively short-span, cable-stayed Leonard Zakim Bridge in Boston . Turkey's 3rd Bosphorus bridge , completed in 2016, has a single deck about 192 feet (59 m) wide. The new Tappan Zee Bridge

1316-590: Is despair, Mr. President, in the faces that you don't see, in the places that you don't visit, in your shining city." He was immediately considered one of the frontrunners for the Democratic nomination for president in 1988 and 1992 . Cuomo was re-elected in 1986 against Republican nominee Andrew P. O'Rourke by 64.3% to 31.77%. He ruled out the possibility of running in the 1988 presidential election, announcing on February 19, 1987, that he would not run, and then going on to publicly decline draft movements in

1410-660: Is intended to last at least 100 years. Each span contains four cable-stayed towers (two on each side of the Tappan Zee), with eight total across the length of the bridge. The towers are 491 feet (150 m) tall and lean five degrees outward from the vertical axis. The towers are constructed of open-box beams, with cross beams linking the towers below each deck. The towers support a total of 192 cable stays, which consist of 4,900 miles (7,900 km) of steel strands. The decks of each span are composed of precast concrete panels, connected underneath by "edge girders" running parallel to

1504-519: Is named after a local point of interest and provides Wi-Fi , a seating area, bike racks (on most), informational kiosks , and trash cans. The path also contains LED displays for warning messages. The bridge is equipped with LEDs for the roadways and structures. The lights can be changed to a variety of colors for decorative purposes on major holidays such as Memorial Day and Christmas , traditional dates such as Mother's Day , Father's Day and St. Patrick's Day , and special commemorations throughout

1598-655: The New York Codes, Rules and Regulations . The department comprises 11 regional offices and 68 county transportation maintenance residencies. Tioga County was moved from Region 6 to Region 9 in August 2007, Wayne County was moved from Region 3 to Region 4 in the late 1990s. NYSDOT regions and the counties they serve are: The history of the New York State Department of Transportation and its predecessors spans over two centuries: The first head of

1692-571: The Barnard Medal of Distinction . Also in 1983, Yeshiva University awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. In 2017, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation officially naming the Tappan Zee Bridge replacement the "Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge". This has been met with significant opposition. A petition and several pieces of proposed legislation have sought to restore the bridge's name to that of its predecessor . Cuomo

1786-521: The Korean War and was thus only designed to last for approximately fifty years. The process to replace the bridge kicked off in 2012, with construction on the new spans beginning by contractor Tappan Zee Constructors in 2013. The Left Coast Lifter (one of the world's biggest cranes) was instrumental in the construction of the bridge. The north span officially opened to westbound traffic on August 26, 2017, and eastbound traffic temporarily began using

1880-821: The New York Court of Appeals in 2004. Cuomo, a Roman Catholic , was personally opposed to abortion, but he was pro-choice on the issue, believing that the State does not have the right to ban the procedure. In a speech at the University of Notre Dame on September 13, 1984, he used the statements of the American Catholic hierarchy to make an argument: "What is ideally desirable isn't always feasible, ... there can be different political approaches to abortion besides unyielding adherence to an absolute prohibition." For this position, Cardinal John Joseph O'Connor considered excommunicating him . Cuomo

1974-514: The New York Court of Appeals . Despite having been a top student, the ethnic prejudice of the time led to his rejection by more than 50 law firms before he was hired by a small but established office in Brooklyn . During his tenure at the law firm of Comer, Weisbrod, Froeb and Charles, Cuomo represented Fred Trump . Cuomo eventually became a partner at the firm, but stepped down in 1974 to become New York Secretary of State. In 1989, he settled

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2068-404: The lieutenant governor of New York from 1979 to 1982 and the secretary of State of New York from 1975 to 1978. He was the father of former New York governor Andrew Cuomo and NewsNation anchor Christopher Cuomo . Cuomo was known for his liberal views and public speeches, particularly his keynote speech address at the 1984 Democratic National Convention in which he sharply criticized

2162-486: The primary . He withdrew after criticizing Republican incumbent George Pataki 's leadership following the terrorist attacks on the city on September 11 the previous year. In November 2006, Andrew was elected New York State Attorney General ; and on November 2, 2010, he was elected Governor of New York, inaugurated on January 1, 2011, and was re-elected two more times, serving until he resigned in August 2021 due to sexual harassment allegations . Cuomo's younger son Chris

2256-671: The 11 regions in New York State. Region 1 is also the home to the NYS DOT STICC (Statewide Transportation Information Coordination Center) which is staffed 24/7. The STICC is responsible for the coordination & logistics of statewide resources during major incidents within New York State and is currently located on the 1st floor of the DOT Headquarters in Colonie, NY. Its regulations are compiled in title 17 of

2350-422: The 17th century. Many, including the daughter of former New York Governor Malcolm Wilson (whose name was on the original Tappan Zee Bridge), were vocal in their opposition to the name. A Reclaim New York Initiative poll of Rockland and Westchester county residents found only 14.7% of respondents supported the new name. As of November 29, 2017, over 100,000 people had signed a Change.org petition called "Return

2444-575: The Cuomo Bridge its original name: The Tappan Zee. That bridge is our history." Despite the official name, "Tappan Zee Bridge" remains a common name for the structure. Lawmakers have proposed several bills to rename the bridge. On December 6, 2017, State Assemblyman Kevin Byrne, a Republican from Mahopac in Putnam County , announced that he would introduce legislation to change the name of

2538-706: The Democrats in presidential elections led to his being dubbed " Hamlet on the Hudson ". Cuomo was defeated for a fourth term as governor by George Pataki in the Republican Revolution of 1994. He subsequently retired from politics and joined the New York City law firm of Willkie Farr & Gallagher . Cuomo was born in the Briarwood section of the New York City borough of Queens to

2632-523: The Legislature and on deadline day, time ran out. In a scene later fictionalized in Joe ;Klein 's Primary Colors , he kept an airplane idling on the tarmac as he pondered abandoning the budget talks in order to fly to New Hampshire and enter the race. Democratic party leaders asked him to run and he prepared two statements, one in case he ran and one in case he did not. He tried to come to

2726-489: The National Council on Disability. He was the first governor to support an ecological approach to families which was represented by community integration and community development as the goal of deinstitutionalization. Healthcare was also an area that Cuomo improved as governor, implementing initiatives that succeeded in reducing costs of prescription medications. This endeavor assisted senior citizens in making

2820-479: The New York State Department of Transportation (effective from 1 September 1967) was the former head of the New York State Department of Public Works John Burch McMorran (1899–1991). The first Executive Deputy Commissioner of the New York State Department of Transportation was Edward Burton Hughes , who had formerly been Deputy Superintendent of the New York State Department of Public Works ,

2914-559: The State was one of "progressive pragmatism". Cuomo and the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives (Democrats had over a 3:2 margin in House) was successful in stopping U.S. President Ronald Reagan's administration from eliminating "federal income tax deductibility of state, local and property taxes". During his second term as governor, Cuomo successfully pushed for the enactment of sweeping fiscal reforms for

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3008-461: The State. Comprehensive reform measures were also enacted in governmental ethics for New York State under Cuomo's leadership. Cuomo extended New York State's economic reach in business globally, contributing to both strengthening and developing it. Cuomo is also known for beginning the "Decade of the Child" initiative, an effort that included multiple health care and educational strategies to better

3102-538: The Tappan Zee Bridge's structural integrity. These concerns, together with traffic overcapacity and increased maintenance costs, escalated the serious discussions already ongoing about replacing the Tappan Zee with a tunnel or a new bridge. Six options were identified and submitted for project study and environmental review. The Federal Highway Administration issued a report in October 2011 designating

3196-503: The Tappan Zee's replacement to be a dual- span twin bridge . The new bridge was to be built a few yards to the north of the existing bridge, connecting to the existing highway approaches of the New York State Thruway (I-87/I-287) on both river banks. The New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA) requested design proposals from four companies in 2012 and eventually received three project proposals. The authority awarded

3290-535: The board of Medallion Financial Corp., a lender to purchasers of taxi medallions in leading cities across the U.S. He was named to the board through his personal and business relationship with Andrew M. Murstein , president of Medallion. Cuomo also sat on the advisory council of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission . Cuomo's first book, Forest Hills Diary: The Crisis of Low-income Housing , became an influential text in

3384-410: The bridge instead of conducting its own investigations, and the office did not treat the allegations as serious. Third-party consultant Alta Vista conducted its own study, concluding in late 2017 that hydrogen embrittlement was not the cause of the broken bolts. In March 2021, some records relating to the case were unsealed. Following this, U.S. Representative Mondaire Jones , whose district encompasses

3478-503: The bridge to the "Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge." The old Tappan Zee Bridge had been named for Wilson from 1994 to October 2017. A compromise bill to rename the bridge the "Governor Mario M. Cuomo Tappan Zee Bridge" was later introduced and sponsored by both Senate Deputy Majority Leader John DeFrancisco , Republican of Upstate New York, as well as Assemblyman Byrne. On June 20, 2018, the State Senate voted 40–20 in favor of renaming

3572-468: The bridge to the Tappan Zee Bridge or similar names. The Tappan Zee river crossing was named by 17th century Dutch settlers. The Tappan Zee Bridge is the only crossing of the Hudson between Westchester and Rockland counties. The original Tappan Zee Bridge was a cantilever bridge built from 1952 to 1955. The bridge was 3 miles (4.8 km) long and spanned the Hudson at its second-widest point. It

3666-739: The bridge, and all Republican members of the New York State Assembly requested that the United States Department of Transportation investigate the allegations of structural deficiencies. In response, the Federal Highway Administration issued a statement claiming it had "no safety concerns" with either of the Tappan Zee Bridge's spans. In a lawsuit filed that month, a whistleblower claimed that TZC had knowingly delivered many defective high-strength bolts and taken measures to hide evidence of

3760-542: The bridge. However, the effort failed after the Assembly's legislative session ended without the bill being put to a vote. After Cuomo's resignation in August 2021, another bill to change the official name to "Tappan Zee Bridge" was proposed in the New York state legislature. In February 2023, state senator James Skoufis sponsored another bill to change the official name of the bridge to the "Tappan Zee Bridge," becoming

3854-475: The city's plan to build a new high school. He later represented another Queens residents group, the Kew Gardens – Forest Hills Committee on Urban Scale, who opposed Samuel J. LeFrak 's housing proposal adjacent to Willow Lake in Queens. In 1972, Cuomo became known beyond New York City when Mayor John Lindsay appointed him to conduct an inquiry and mediate a dispute over low-income public housing slated for

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3948-435: The completion of the new southbound/eastbound span. The northbound/westbound span of the new Tappan Zee Bridge temporarily carried four lanes in both directions until the new southbound/eastbound span was completed. After some delays, the project was later expected to be completed by June 15, 2018, at a cost of $ 3.98 billion. However, the scheduled opening was later pushed back to mid-September. The new southbound/eastbound span

4042-429: The contractor, was composed of several design, engineering, and construction firms including Fluor Corporation , American Bridge Company , Granite Construction Northeast and Traylor Bros. The Left Coast Lifter was used to install groups of pre-assembled girders one full span at a time. The contractors were obliged to finish the bridge by 2018, after which the state would fine the contractors around $ 100,000 per day. By

4136-408: The death penalty by highlighting the case of Arthur Shawcross , a multiple murderer convicted of manslaughter who was paroled by the state in 1987 and while on release became a serial killer. Republicans were able to associate Shawcross with Cuomo much like William Horton with Michael Dukakis six years earlier. Cuomo was defeated by George Pataki in the 1994 Republican landslide , taking 45.4% of

4230-413: The death penalty, an opinion that was unpopular in New York during the high-crime era of the 1980s and early 1990s. While governor, he vetoed several bills that would have re-established capital punishment in New York State. The death penalty was reinstated by Pataki the year after he defeated Cuomo in the 1994 election, although it was never put into effect and the statute was declared unconstitutional by

4324-542: The defects. The NYSTA sued TZC in August 2024, claiming that around 61 of the 192 cables had been improperly installed and needed to be repaired. The new Tappan Zee Bridge is composed of two cable-stayed decks and has a total length of 16,368 ft (4,989.0 m; 3.1 mi; 5.0 km). The main span of both decks is 1,200 ft (370 m) and is approached on either side by 515-foot-long (157 m) side spans. Each deck carries four lanes of traffic in one direction, plus inner and outer shoulders. The clearance below

4418-449: The edges of each deck, as well as floor beams running perpendicularly to the deck. The cable stays are anchored to the outer faces of the edge girders underneath each span. The bridge is supported by 1,250 girders, each measuring up to 120 feet (37 m) long and 12 feet (3.7 m) high. They are secured to splice plates by about 500 bolts. The north span has a bicycle and pedestrian path, which opened on June 15, 2020. This path connects

4512-461: The end of 2013, General Electric had completed four seasons of dredging to remove contaminants from the river bottom. Approximately 70 percent of the sediments targeted for dredging were removed (totaling more than 1,900,000 cubic yards (1,500,000 m) of sediment). On July 19, 2016, a crane used for the construction of the bridge collapsed onto the existing older bridge. Five people were injured, including three drivers and two bridge workers; no one

4606-525: The environmental impacts. However, when the instability of the eastern span was discovered in September 2018, it was decided to destroy it outright. The explosive demolition of the eastern approach took place on January 15, 2019, while the western approach was lowered onto a barge on May 12, 2019, and hauled away. Reports of a coverup of structural problems emerged in December 2018. Dozens of bolts holding

4700-467: The field by at least twenty points, and a poll in December showed him trailing President George H. W. Bush 48% to 43%, having been behind by twenty-eight points two months earlier. The filing deadline for the New Hampshire primary was on December 20, 1991, and candidates were required to submit a ballot application in person. Cuomo was not able to negotiate a budget agreement with Republicans in

4794-676: The fields of political science and housing policy, and it helped make his name with the public outside New York. In 1996, Cuomo wrote Reason to Believe . He also wrote a narrative essay titled "Achieving the American Dream" about his parents' struggles in coming to America and how they prospered. Cuomo was the author of Why Lincoln Matters , published in 2004, and he co-edited Lincoln on Democracy , an anthology of Abraham Lincoln 's speeches. Cuomo also wrote and delivered numerous speeches and remarks. At its 1983 commencement ceremonies, Barnard College awarded Cuomo its highest honor,

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4888-473: The first Democrat to sponsor such legislation. Mario Cuomo Mario Matthew Cuomo ( / ˈ k w oʊ m oʊ / KWOH -moh , Italian: [ˈmaːrjo ˈkwɔːmo] ; June 15, 1932 – January 1, 2015) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 52nd governor of New York for three terms, from 1983 to 1994. A member of the Democratic Party , Cuomo previously served as

4982-719: The head of the New Yorkers I have sworn to put first. Cuomo's supporters launched a draft movement and encouraged people to write in his name in the Democratic primary, which was held on February 18, 1992. Cuomo did not discourage it, which many saw as implicit endorsement of the campaign. Cuomo went on to receive 6,577 votes in the primary, 3.92% of the total cast and subsequently asked the draft committee to close down, saying, "I am flattered by their support and impressed by their commitment, but I am also convinced that in fairness to themselves they ought now to end their effort." The group closed down, but Cuomo refused to rule out joining

5076-438: The lives of children in New York State. Further, in 1988, the "Rebuild NY" Transportation Bond Act was an initiative under Cuomo that was a continuance of efforts to rebuild bridges and roads throughout the State. Cuomo increased assistance to local law enforcement agencies in order to help reduce or eliminate crime; and prison expansion in the State was continued which he is said to have regretted. Under Cuomo, New York State

5170-493: The main square of Messina , Sicily during the day. However, after Cuomo arrived in Rome on November 19 with security consisting of many bodyguards and a bulletproof car, the attack was called off. Cuomo's son Chris later denied the occurrence of said assassination attempt while guest starring on an episode of The Adam Friedland Show . Cuomo was notable for his liberal political views, particularly his steadfast opposition to

5264-568: The medications more affordable. Under Cuomo's leadership, a public health plan that tackled the AIDS epidemic was the most intense in the nation. Overseeing programs for environmental preservation and conservation, Cuomo implemented aggressive initiatives in these areas. Under Cuomo's leadership, New York State was the first in the United States to integrate both environmental protection and energy conservation goals. Cuomo's progressivism

5358-732: The move of the National Football League 's New York Giants and New York Jets to the Meadowlands in East Rutherford , New Jersey, choosing instead to attend the home games of the Buffalo Bills while serving as governor, referring to the Bills as "New York State's only team". From 1995 until his death, Cuomo worked as counsel at the New York law firm, Willkie Farr & Gallagher . In 1996, Cuomo joined

5452-431: The new bridge's bus lanes finished in 2020, leaving one bus lane in each direction. Early plans also called for Metro-North Railroad commuter rail service on the bridge, but ultimately the span was built without commuter rail tracks. During construction, the project's website referred to the crossing as the "New NY Bridge." However, other sources referred to it as the "New Tappan Zee Bridge". Governor Andrew Cuomo signed

5546-431: The north span on October 6, 2017. Contractors then began demolishing the old bridge. An opening ceremony for the south span was held on September 7, 2018, and traffic started using the new span three days later. The bridge's official name, which does not include the words "Tappan Zee" like its predecessor, has been controversial since its announcement. A petition and several legislative bills have sought to officially rename

5640-545: The northbound and westbound automobile traffic of the New York State Thruway , Interstate 87 (I-87) and I-287 ; it also carries a shared use path for bicycles and pedestrians. The south span carries southbound and eastbound automobile traffic. Although not as old as other bridges such as the George Washington , the original Tappan Zee was built in the midst of a material shortage during

5734-477: The old bridge started in November 2017 with the removal of the first steel section from the Rockland County approach. The work continued to April 2018 including the removal of the truss sections. In May 2018, the 10-million-pound main span was removed, leaving only the east and west approaches. The original plan was to complete the remaining demolition by taking down spans piece by piece in order to minimize

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5828-407: The party convention. But their entire ticket, including the nominees for attorney general and U.S. Senator was defeated in the Democratic primary election : Samuels by Rep. Hugh Carey of Brooklyn, and Cuomo by State Senator Mary Anne Krupsak . Governor-elect Carey chose to bring Cuomo into his new administration, naming him in December as his choice for Secretary of State of New York . Cuomo

5922-478: The policies of the Reagan administration, saying, "Mr. President, you ought to know that this nation is more a ' Tale of Two Cities ' than it is just a shining ' city on a hill .'" He was widely considered a potential front-runner for the Democratic nomination for president in both 1988 and 1992 , though he declined to seek the nomination in both instances. His legacy as a reluctant standard-bearer for

6016-457: The primaries later in the year, stating, "I have said more than once that the nomination should go to someone willing and able to campaign for it. I am willing, but because New York's budget has not been settled I am not able to campaign for it." Ultimately, Cuomo did not enter the race and Bill Clinton went on to win the Democratic nomination and the general election. Because of Cuomo's refusal to run for national office, despite his popularity, he

6110-454: The retiring Byron White , Cuomo stated he was not interested in the office. George Stephanopoulos wrote in 1999 that Clinton came within 15 minutes of nominating Cuomo before the latter pre-emptively rejected the post. In 1994 , Cuomo ran for a fourth term. In this election, Republicans attacked him for the weak economic recovery within the state since the early 1990s recession and the resulting high unemployment as well as his opposition to

6204-406: The state Department of Transportation . The New York Metropolitan Transportation Council added the Tappan Zee Bridge to its list of projects eligible for federal funds in August 2012. The United States Department of Transportation approved the plan on September 25, 2012. The approval process took fewer than 10 months as opposed to the traditional multi-year process as a result of being placed on

6298-466: The state passed legislation freezing the toll on the bridge at $ 5 through 2020 in its 2016 legislative session. The new Tappan Zee Bridge was proposed to include four vehicle lanes on each span, for a total of eight lanes, as well as a shared-use bicycle and pedestrian path. Like its predecessor, the new Tappan Zee Bridge is to be administered by the NYSTA. The authority is the project co-sponsor, along with

6392-412: The steel girders together had failed, and some bolts broke more than a year after they had been tightened into the plates that hold the girders together. A presentation by a whistleblower included allegations that the bolts had broken due to hydrogen embrittlement , which weakened the metal. The number of failed bolts was abnormally high for a project the size of this bridge. Engineering experts warned that

6486-511: The structural problems could compound, causing the girders to fall and the bridge to collapse. The issue was known as early as February 2016, when New York state officials had begun testing some bolts for breaks. The Attorney General of New York began investigating whether structural problems with the bridge had been covered up in 2017. According to a report in the Times Union , the attorney general's office relied on other investigations of

6580-429: The thought of having to live in "the small town" of Albany as governor, saying it was "a city without a good Chinese restaurant". Cuomo won the primary by ten points and faced Republican nominee businessman Lewis Lehrman in the general election. With the recession aiding Democratic candidates, Cuomo beat Lehrman 50.91% to 47.48%. Cuomo actively campaigned for Walter Mondale in the 1984 presidential election , and

6674-479: The towns of Tarrytown and South Nyack and measures 3.6 miles (5.8 km) in length. It has visitor centers at each end, named after the counties of Rockland and Westchester . Both of these contain restrooms, brochures, and interactive displays. The Westchester visitor center also has vendors that operate daily. The path is split into two lanes with bikes on the east and pedestrians on the west. The path has six scenic overlooks known as "belvederes." Each belvedere

6768-544: The upper-middle-class neighborhood of Forest Hills. Cuomo described his experience in that dispute in the book Forest Hills Diary , and the story was retold by sociologist Richard Sennett in The Fall of Public Man . In 1974, he ran for Lieutenant Governor of New York on a ticket headed by gubernatorial candidate Howard J. Samuels , and both won the nomination of the Democratic State Committee at

6862-561: The vote to Pataki's 48.8%. Cuomo lost mainly because his support outside of New York City all but vanished; he only carried one county outside the Five Boroughs, Albany County , while also failing to sweep the Five Boroughs unlike his previous three successful runs, losing Staten Island . Cuomo and fellow Democrat Ann Richards , the Governor of Texas who had been defeated in her re-election campaign by George W. Bush , appeared in

6956-604: The vote, Koch and Cuomo advanced to a runoff. Koch emerged victorious with 54.94% of the vote to Cuomo's 45.06%. Cuomo had received the nomination of the Liberal Party several months previously and was urged to drop out of the race but he contested the general election against Koch and token Republican opposition. During the mayoral campaign, placards appeared saying: "Vote for Cuomo, not the homo" in reference to rumors about Koch's sexuality. Cuomo denied responsibility for this but Koch never forgave him "as he made clear with

7050-500: The wake of Gary Hart 's withdrawal following the Donna Rice affair . In the 1990 gubernatorial election , Cuomo was re-elected with 53.17% of the vote to Republican Pierre Andrew Rinfret 's 21.35% and Conservative Herbert London 's 20.40%. When Cuomo was asked if he was planning to run for president in 1992, he said, "I have no plans and no plans to make plans," but he refused to rule it out. In October 1991, news broke that he

7144-483: The year. The lighting system reportedly has the ability to be synced to music, although it has yet to be demonstrated. The Tappan Zee Bridge charges tolls in the Westchester southbound/eastbound direction only. On weekdays, tolls are variable based on the New York State Thruway 's vehicle classification system and the time of day, and are collected using a cashless toll system. On weekends, each vehicle class pays

7238-633: Was a baseball player and while attending St. John's University in 1952, he signed as an outfielder with the Pittsburgh Pirates for a $ 2,000 bonus , which he used to help purchase his wife Matilda 's engagement ring. Cuomo played for the Brunswick Pirates of the Class D Georgia–Florida League where his teammates included future major leaguer Fred Green ; Cuomo attained a .244 batting average and played center field until he

7332-625: Was a journalist on the ABC Network news magazine Primetime . He anchored news segments and served as co-host on Good Morning America , before moving to CNN in 2013, where he co-hosted the morning news magazine New Day . He anchored his own prime time show Cuomo Prime Time until he was suspended and ultimately fired in 2021 for assisting his brother Andrew in navigating a sexual harassment scandal which had previously led to Andrew's resignation as Governor of New York and after two accusations of sexual harassment against Chris were made. He

7426-567: Was also defeated by Koch in the general election, taking 40.97% to Koch's 49.99%. The race is discussed in Jonathan Mahler's book Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx Is Burning . In 1978, incumbent Lieutenant Governor Krupsak declined to seek re-election. She withdrew from the ticket and unsuccessfully challenged Carey in the gubernatorial primary, accusing him of incompetence. Cuomo won the primary for lieutenant governor and

7520-703: Was also evident in his appointments of judges to the New York Court of Appeals . Cuomo appointed all of the judges to the State Appeals Court, including the first two female judges, as well as both the first African-American and Hispanic judges. Cuomo eliminated the New York State Regents Scholarship given to all students who ranked high on a statewide special examination. Maurizio Avola, a former Sicilian Mafioso believed to have killed about 80 people, including journalists, lawyers, politicians and mobsters, before becoming

7614-450: Was also outspoken on what he perceived to be the unfair stereotyping of Italian Americans as mobsters by the media, including denying the existence of the Mafia , and urging the media to stop using the word "mafia". Joseph Pistone , an FBI agent widely known for his undercover operation as Donnie Brasco , wrote disparagingly of Cuomo in his book, Unfinished Business . Cuomo opposed

7708-928: Was also the first in the nation to enact seat belt laws . Cuomo established the Office of the MTA Inspector General (OIG) in 1983, as an independent watchdog for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority . The OIG provides oversight and monitors the activities of the MTA. Governor Mario and his wife Matilda Cuomo presided over the First New York State Family Support Conference in 1988. His statewide initiatives in developing over 1,000 family support programs are today termed "individual and family support" nationwide and are cited by

7802-448: Was elected alongside Carey in the general election . In 1982 , Carey declined to run for re-election and Cuomo declared his candidacy. He once again faced Ed Koch in the Democratic primary. This time, Koch's support for the death penalty backfired and he alienated many voters from outside New York City when, in an interview with Playboy magazine, he described the lifestyle of both suburbia and upstate New York as "sterile" and lamented

7896-441: Was followed as Secretary of State by Basil Paterson . Two years later, Cuomo ran for Mayor of New York City at Carey's urging. Incumbent Mayor Abraham Beame was very unpopular and Cuomo was one of five major challengers to Beame in the Democratic primary. In a close and highly fractured election, U.S. Representative Ed Koch finished first with 19.81% of the vote and Cuomo came second with 18.74%. As no candidate cleared 40% of

7990-786: Was interested in running and was taking advice from consultant Bob Shrum . At the same time, he began working on a budget with the New York State Legislature , and promised not to make any announcements about a presidential run until he had reached an agreement with the Republican-controlled State Senate and the Democratic-controlled State Assembly . Two polls taken in November of the New Hampshire Democratic primary showed him leading

8084-463: Was killed or critically injured. The project timeline originally indicated that the old bridge would be closed in 2016 and that the demolition of the old bridge would begin in February 2017. The new northbound/westbound span opened on August 26, 2017. Southbound/eastbound traffic remained on the existing span until October 6, 2017, when it was shifted to the new northbound/westbound span to allow for

8178-906: Was married for 60 years to Matilda (née Raffa) , from 1954 until his death in 2015. She is a graduate of St. John's University's Teachers College. They had five children, Margaret , Andrew , Maria, Madeline, and Christopher . In 2017, Matilda was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame . Cuomo's older son Andrew married Kerry Kennedy , a daughter of Robert F. and Ethel Skakel Kennedy , on June 9, 1990. They had three daughters, twins Cara Ethel and Mariah Matilda Cuomo, born on January 11, 1995; and Michaela Andrea Cuomo, born on August 26, 1997. The couple divorced in 2005. Andrew served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Bill Clinton from 1997 to 2001. In his first attempt to succeed his father, he ran as Democratic candidate for New York governor in 2002 , but withdrew before

8272-470: Was named on Mondale's list of vice presidential candidates . Geraldine Ferraro was ultimately nominated as his running mate, but Cuomo was chosen to give the keynote speech at the 1984 Democratic National Convention in San Francisco. He vigorously attacked Ronald Reagan 's record and policies in his Tale of Two Cities speech that brought him to national attention, most memorably saying: "There

8366-534: Was picked as one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in 1997. Cuomo's daughter Maria is married to Kenneth Cole , the New York fashion designer. She is Chair of the Board of HELP USA, a charitable foundation that is also associated with the organization her mother founded, Mentoring USA. New York State Department of Transportation New York's transportation network includes: NYS DOT has several Traffic Management Centers (TMC) located throughout

8460-494: Was referred to as the "Hamlet on the Hudson". After Bill Clinton won the Democratic nomination for president in 1992, Cuomo was a candidate for vice president but he refused to be considered and did not make Clinton's final shortlist. He was also spoken of as a candidate for nomination to the United States Supreme Court , but when President Clinton was considering nominees during his first term to replace

8554-493: Was struck in the back of the head by a pitch. Batting helmets were not yet required equipment, and Cuomo's injury was severe enough that he was hospitalized for six days. After his recovery, Cuomo gave up baseball and returned to St. John's University, earning his bachelor's degree summa cum laude in 1953. Deciding on a legal career, Cuomo attended St. John's University School of Law and graduated tied for first in his class in 1956. Cuomo clerked for Judge Adrian P. Burke of

8648-466: Was supposed to open to traffic on September 8, 2018. An opening ceremony was held on that date, but the traffic shift itself was delayed when a piece of the old bridge came loose on September 7 while being demolished. The opening of the eastbound span, which was 160 feet (49 m) away from the old bridge, was delayed until the old bridge could be stabilized. After the old bridge was stabilized, all lanes were opened on September 11, 2018. The demolition of

8742-649: Was the longest bridge in New York State, at a length of 16,013 feet (4,881 m) including approaches. Built immediately after the Korean War , the bridge had a low construction budget of only $ 81 million and a designed life-span of only 50 years. During its first decade, the bridge carried fewer than 40,000 vehicles per day. By the start of the 21st century, the old Tappan Zee Bridge was "decaying" and "overburdened". The deteriorating structure bore an average of 140,000 vehicles per day, substantially more traffic than its designed capacity. The collapse of Minnesota's I-35W Mississippi River bridge in 2007 raised worries about

8836-423: Was to target politicians or members of institutions in order to send out a clear message... Killing a prominent American was a warning to law enforcement agencies that had allowed several prominent mafia informants to live in the US under assumed identities." This was several months after the mafia had already assassinated antimafia judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino . The attack was to be carried out in

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