AAA: Tappan Zee Is Worst Bridge in New York

The Tappan Zee, Kosciuszko and Goethals bridges are the worst spans in the New York metro area, according to a new report the AAA New York magazine, Car & Travel.

AAA traffic engineers and safety experts examined at structures in the local metro area and picked two bridges in New York City (Kosciuszko and Goethals) and one that spans the Hudson River (Tappan Zee) as the worst because of their "inability to safely handle modern traffic volumes, and, in the case of the TZ and Kosciuszko, poor structural condition.," according to a news release.

"The Tappan Zee is the worst of the worst," said Robert Sinclair Jr., manager of media relations for AAA New York. "Built in the 1950s, the bridge contains substandard steel due to metals needed for the Korean War. The structure for its approach roadways rests on wooden piles buried in the Hudson River bottom, and it handles far more traffic than designers intended, compromising safety," Sinclair said.

The Tappan Zee, which connects Tarrytown in Westchester County and South Nyack in Rockland County, opened in 1952 and now carries more traffic that it was designed for and was only meant to last 50 years, according to reports. In 2006, the New York State Thruway Authority, which owns the bridge, said that the deck, some structural steel, the concrete walkway, and electrical systems have deteriorated. Two years later, state officials announced plans to replace the bridge.

The Kosciuszko, which connects Queens and Brooklyn, opened in 1939 has grades too steep for heavy truck traffic to maintain highway speeds as they cross the structure, and limited sight lines that create safety hazards, the AAA says.

The Goethals Bridge, which connects Staten Island to Elizabeth, N.J., opened in 1928 and has lanes that are far too narrow, AAA says. That makes it nearly impossible for two trucks to pass side-by-side.

"Recent deck work on the Goethals has added some years to the bridge's service life, but it still lacks modern amenities needed to improve road safety," Sinclair said.

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