This publication has spoken with Riverkeeper’s President Paul Gallay who, several years ago, headed the Westchester Land Trust (which was active in open space acquisition within the Village of Tarrytown). In addition to Mr. Gallay, Tina Posterli the organization’s Press Officer, was very helpful in detailing Riverkeeper’s position vis-à-vis the potential new bridge.[blockquote class=blue]With the latest estimates being a $5.2 billion new bridge that will take 5 years to complete, it is imperative to get the proposal right rather than proceeding with a flawed plan at the outset.[/blockquote]“Our interests are to see the best value for each dollar spent. We realize something needs to be done about the Tappan Zee Bridge. Whether it’s refurbishing the existing Bridge, building a tunnel or a new bridge with a mass transit component. Having said that, we are concerned with public safety and dedicated to the protection of the Hudson River,” Gallay said during a recent interview. Tina Posterli added, “It’s our position that Governor Cuomo is proceeding at break-neck speed to push this new bridge concept forward. We are not against progress or the creation of new jobs. Riverkeeper believes anything done to the Tappan Zee Bridge has to meet transportation needs and not be harmful to the environment of the River.”
Gallay cited a 2009 proposal that would preclude the Governor from “creating the wheel” when it comes to the Tappan Zee Bridge. The first option was to refurbish the current bridge and add a mass transit component to it. The second option was the building of a tunnel and the third was a hybrid version where the current bridge would be refurbished with a second span built for mass transit. “Our position is that people from all interests, including labor, environmental, local, state and federal government, collectively deliver a world class bridge or tunnel. If everyone succeeds together there will be no failure on this project,” Gallay said.
Tina Posterli added, “Pushing forward such a flawed plan that has no funding in place and addresses our environment, the Hudson River and nearby communities as nothing more than afterthoughts, is not what is right for our region, nor is it the example we should set for the rest of the country. We will be living with this decision for generations to come. It’s in everyone’s best interest to take the time necessary to make it a project we all can be proud of.”
In closing, Riverkeeper is not intent on stopping the construction or rehabilitation of the Tappan Zee Bridge, rather they remain focused on the project being done correctly, environmentally and legally. With the latest estimates being a $5.2 billion new bridge that will take 5 years to complete, it is imperative to get the proposal right rather than proceeding with a flawed plan at the outset.