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State Police

The members that make up State Police Troop T patrol the New York State Thruway System exclusively. Night and day, Troop T members do emergency work at the scene of accidents, summon help for thousands of motorists with disabled vehicles and make more than 197,000 arrests each year.

The entire annual cost for Troop T’s services is more than $50 million per year and is borne by the Thruway Authority, which pays the Troopers’ salaries, payroll benefits and expenses and provides them with patrol cars, uniforms and other necessary equipment.

State Police Troop T makes approximately 99,000 arrests each year on the Thruway for speeding. Radar teams, low-profile vehicles and aerial speed enforcement efforts supplement regular patrols.

A Thruway communications system provides instantaneous communication 24 hours a day among Authority Headquarters, tollbooths, and the hundreds of vehicles operated by Troopers, administrators, maintenance and emergency service crews, and toll personnel.

All communications are centralized at Authority Headquarters in Albany. The communications center is staffed by shifts around the clock with a force of civilian dispatchers, senior dispatchers and State Police technical sergeants. The Authority’s Communications Supervisor oversees technical operations.

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Safety and Service

The Thruway Authority is firmly committed to a high level of safety and service. This can only be achieved through a sound and well-maintained infrastructure of highways and bridges.

As a result of innovative and continuous safety improvements and a dedicated State Police Troop, the Thruway has continuously been recognized as one of the safest highways in the nation.  The Authority is very proud of its safety record, operating one of the largest and safest superhighways in the nation.

Statistics indicate that 2008 was the third safest year in the Thruway’s 53-year history. A primary measure of safety is the fatality rate, which is calculated as the number of fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles (MVM) traveled. In 2008, there were 28 fatal accidents on the Thruway resulting in 33 deaths, reflecting a fatality rate of 0.32, the third lowest rate in Thruway history.

The fatality rate along the Thruway remains significantly below the national average as calculated by the National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA) of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  According to NCSA, the United States had more than 41,000 fatalities in 2007 that resulted in a fatality rate of 1.36 fatalities per 100 MVM.  In New York State there were more than 1,300 fatalities in 2007 that resulted in a fatality rate of 0.97 fatalities per 100 MVM.  For more information please visit: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/. 

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Maintenance

Specially trained crews maintain the Thruway throughout the year at an annual cost of more than $148 million. More than 1,600 maintenance personnel use about 4,000 different pieces of equipment to maintain the Thruway's roadway, bridges and buildings.

Equipment used includes seven-ton trucks, pavement sweepers, mowing tractors and much more. Of some 1,400 vehicles in use, approximately 400 can be converted into snowplows in the winter.

The four Thruway divisions (Albany, Buffalo, New York and Syracuse) are divided into sections, each of which maintains an average of 28 miles of roadway. Throughout the winter months, special shifts are assigned to control snow and ice 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Some emergency repairs to the roadway and structures are done in the winter as well. During the summer months, major improvements are done on the pavement, bridges, guide railing and shoulders. Pavement-striping, mowing, litter cleanup and patching are routinely done in better weather, but done as needed regardless of weather conditions.

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Environmental Stewardship

For information about the Authority’s various environmental initiatives, please visit http://www.nysthruway.gov/environmental/index.html.

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The Tappan Zee Bridge

The 3.03-mile Governor Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge (TZB) carries the New York State Thruway’s mainline across the Hudson River, connecting Westchester and Rockland Counties approximately 13 miles north of New York City. Prior to the construction of the TZB, only a ferry linked the two counties.

The first test borings for the TZB were sunk in June of 1951; construction of the Bridge began in March of 1952; and the Bridge opened to traffic December 15, 1955. The original approaches and structure cost approximately $80.8 million.

The New York State Legislature approved and the Governor signed an Act that officially named the structure the “Tappan Zee Bridge” February 28, 1956. The name originates from pre-colonial days, when the area was home to the Tappan Indian Tribe. “Zee” is the Dutch name for open expanse of water (sea). In 1994, the bridge was rededicated and named the "Governor Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge,” in honor of the former New York Governor.

On November 28, 2000, the New York State Thruway Authority and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority/Metro-North Railroad (MTA/MNR) announced that they would begin the Environmental Review Process.  Today, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) is the manager, with the Authority and MTA/MNR as partners.  For additional information on this study, please visit http://www.tzbsite.com/.

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Tappan Zee Bridge Deck Replacement Project

In August 2006 the Authority awarded the Tappan Zee Bridge Deck Replacement Project. When completed approximately 40 percent of the entire deck will have been replaced, including the west end of the bridge and the main truss. In previous years, the Authority replaced half of the center lane of the causeway and the entire east truss deck.

Physical work to the Bridge's steel and deck began in the Spring of 2007 and is scheduled to be completed in Fall 2009. The new deck, along with related repairs to the superstructure, lighting and rail, will provide more reliable service, increase safety and add convenience for motorists using this vital east-west corridor. The Authority has implemented a number of strategies to minimize the impact of this project on travelers:

• Deck replacement work will be conducted primarily during off-peak, overnight shifts, generally from 8 p.m. until 6 a.m.
• The Authority will limit the contractor's day work, permitting single lane closures only as needed.
• Deck replacement materials will be manufactured off-site, reducing noise on-site.
  

Today, nearly 140,000 vehicles cross the 3.03-mile TZB every day, with volumes peaking as high as 170,000 vehicles daily. When the bridge opened in 1955, it carried an average of 18,000 vehicles daily.

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Tappan Zee Bridge Falcon Program

In the late 1980s, the Thruway Authority added two falcon-nesting boxes to the TZB. The boxes, which are located high up on the main truss, provide falcons with commanding views of the Hudson River.

The Bridge and the falcons have a symbiotic relationship: The nesting boxes provide falcons with a high perch and the falcons keep pigeons away from the bridge. Pigeon droppings are detrimental to the paint, and consequently, the steel on the Bridge. Before the nesting boxes were added, many pigeons roosted on the TZB.

Falcon-nesting boxes have since been added to three of the Thruway Authority’s other major bridges: the one-mile Castleton Bridge, which spans the Hudson River approximately 10 miles south of Albany; and the two North and two South Grand Island Bridges, which total 2.8 miles in length and span the Niagara River approximately 12 miles south of Niagara Falls.

The nesting boxes vary in size (approximately 24” x 32” x 24”), and are made of wood. A few inches of pea gravel are placed in the bottom of the box, as are drain holes. In order to enable young falcons to exercise their wings without being accidentally pushed out of the box, the boxes are either oversized, or an Astroturf covered perch is provided in front of the box.

The Peregrine Falcon is considered one of the world’s fastest animals. Peregrine Falcons hunt other birds by diving after them and can exceed speeds of 200 mph while diving. Peregrines grow 15 to 20 inches in length, with females typically one-third larger than males. Females typically lay two to four eggs per year, which they incubate while the male hunts for food. The chicks hatch after about 35 days, and both parents then hunt for food for their young. Chicks leave the nest four to five weeks after hatching. Thruway maintenance work is scheduled around the Spring nesting period, in the vicinity of nesting boxes.

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Tappan Zee Bridge Toll Operations

A round-trip toll on the TZB is collected from eastbound (south) traffic, while no toll is collected from westbound (north) traffic. This collection system speeds the flow of traffic and improves service to motorists. The toll for passenger cars is fixed; the toll for commercial traffic is based upon vehicle size and time of travel. There are two 35 mph E-ZPass lanes located at the Tappan Zee Bridge toll plaza.

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Tappan Zee Bridge Maintenance

The New York State Thruway Authority follows a very stringent and thorough Bridge Inspection Program, as mandated by current Federal and State guidelines, and will continue to do so. Every two years, the Tappan Zee Bridge undergoes an inspection.  In addition, interim inspections are conducted on the Tappan Zee Bridge to ensure that the bridge is maintained and operated safely and efficiently.

In addition to the Federal and State inspection guidelines, the Authority conducts hands-on inspections, has an 80-member crew dedicated to Tappan Zee Bridge maintenance and has installed sensors to monitor the stresses in wind bracings as related to wind speed and temperature.

The maintenance crew, headed by a professional Engineer, performs inspections and preventive maintenance of the TZB on a daily basis. The work includes painting, deck repairs, substructure concrete repairs and steel repairs. Since most of the Bridge is over water, tug boats, work boats, barges and several pieces of lift equipment facilitate inspection and maintenance operations. The Thruway Authority furnishes its own personnel and equipment to handle emergency breakdowns of vehicles crossing the Bridge. Disabled vehicles are towed to special parking areas on either side of the Bridge, where Thruway Authority truck operators work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

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New York State Canal System

At one time, more than 50,000 people depended on the Erie Canal for their livelihood. From its inception, the Erie Canal helped form a whole new culture revolving around Canal life. For many, canal boats became floating houses, traveling from town to town. The father would serve as captain, while the mother cooked for the family and crew and the children, if old enough, would serve as “hoggees” and would walk alongside the mules to lead them along at a steady pace.

For those who traveled along the Canal in packet boats or passenger vessels, the Canal was an exciting place. Gambling and entertainment were popular pastimes on the Canal and often, families would meet each year at the same locations to share stories and adventures. Today, the Canal has returned to its former glory against a backdrop of tugboats and barges, tour boats and recreational vessels, fishermen and cyclists riding the former towpaths where mules once trod. The excitement of the past is alive and well.

On November 5, 1992, legislation formed the New York State Canal Corporation and the New York State Thruway Authority took over the operation and maintenance of the 524-mile New York State Canal System. The Canal System, which was formerly operated by the New York State Department of Transportation, is comprised of the Erie, Champlain, Oswego and Cayuga-Seneca Canals. The historic waterway provides seasonal navigation between the major water bodies of New York State.

The Canal Corporation has transformed the Canal System into a world class recreationway and emerging commercial waterway, with clustered development to foster recreation, tourism and economic development, while preserving the natural and historical environment of the System and its adjacent communities.

In 1996, the Thruway Authority and Canal Corporation launched a five-year, $20.3 million initiative to preserve and develop the Canal System for the 21st century. The Canal Revitalization Program, administered by the Canal Corporation and the Canal Recreationway Commission and based upon the 1995 Canal Recreationway Plan, presented a realistic and achievable approach to Canal System development. Major harbors have been constructed in Whitehall, Waterford, Little Falls, Oswego, Syracuse, Seneca Falls, Rochester and the Tonawandas. Additional improvements were made in dozens of Canal communities as part of this program.

In 2000, the National Parks Service designated the 524-miles of waterway that make up the Canal System, and more than 200 surrounding Canal communities, as the “Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.” A 27-member commission was named to oversee the corridor by pursuing the integration of Canal-related historical, cultural, recreational, scenic, economic and community development initiatives.

In 2002, Canal improvements and preservation efforts continued as part of  the $50 million Canal Revitalization Program II. A major focus of Canal Revitalization II is the investment of $35 million to complete the Erie Canalway Trail, linking Lake Erie in Buffalo to the Hudson River in Albany. The $50 million program is financed with $25 million from the federal Federal Highway Administration’s Enhancement Program, which is administered by the State Department of Transportation, and $25 million in Canal Corporation capital funds.

During 2008, the Corporation continued to implement the 2006 Erie Canal Greenway Grant Program, which was funded by $10 million in the 2006-2007 New York State Budget.  Since its inception, the Program has been providing matching grants to municipalities and not-for-profit corporations for capital projects consistent with the recommendations in the Report on the Future of New York State Canals and the 1995 Canal Recreationway Plan.  The Corporation solicited grant applications from municipalities and non-profits for capital projects along the Canal System to preserve and rehabilitate canal infrastructure, enhance recreational opportunities for water and land-based users, and promote tourism, historic interpretation and community revitalization.  The Corporation selected 57 projects for $8.9 million in funding.

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Canal Facts

The 524-mile Canal System is made up of four Canals: the 338-mile Erie Canal, from Waterford to the Tonawandas, the 60-mile Champlain Canal, from Whitehall to Waterford, the 24-mile Oswego Canal, from Oswego to the Erie Canal at Three Rivers Junction, and the 92-mile Cayuga-Seneca Canal, which encompasses both lakes of the same names and the Canal, connecting them and passing through Seneca Falls. Connections to the Syracuse and Rochester Harbors make up an additional 10 miles of the Canal System as well.

The Canal System consists of 57 locks and 20 moveable bridges (16 on the Erie Canal, one on the Hudson River and three on the Oswego Canal). Locks and lift bridges operate daily from early May to mid November. The highest lift (40.5 feet high) on the System is at Lock 17 in Little Falls. Waterford’s “Flight of Five” is the highest flight within the shortest span in the world, lifting 169 feet in 1.5 miles.

During peak navigation season, from late May to late September, the locks and lift bridges are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Hours are reduced during other periods of the navigation season. Clearances for navigating under bridges that cross the Canal System are: 20 feet for the Oswego Canal and the Erie Canal (from Waterford to Three Rivers Junction), 17 feet for the Champlain Canal, and 15.5 feet for the Cayuga-Seneca Canal and the Erie Canal (from Three Rivers Junction to Tonawanda).

The Oswego Canal and the Erie Canal (from Waterford to Three Rivers Junction) are approximately 10 feet deep. The Champlain Canal, Cayuga-Seneca Canal, and the Erie Canal (from Three Rivers Junction to Tonawanda) are approximately nine feet deep. While channel depths are subject to variation, the design depth of the Canal is 14 feet between Waterford and Oswego and 12 feet elsewhere, and efforts are underway to return the Canal to its designed depth.

It takes the average boat approximately 20 minutes to go through a lock. The lock chambers are approximately 328 feet in length, allowing boats up to 300 feet in length and 43.5 feet in width to lock through.

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Canal Tolls, passes and Permits

For a complete schedule for Canal recreational and commercial passes, permits and tolls, please visit the Corporation’s website at http://www.nyscanals.gov/exvac/boating/bctolls.html.

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Commercial Shipping on the Canal

All commercial vessels navigating the Canal System must file an “Application for Canal Commercial Operator” with the New York State Thruway Authority, Department of Finance and Accounts. The annual fees for commercial operators to navigate the Canal System are: $750 for tugs and barges, $300 for hire boats, $30 per passenger capacity, for tour vessels with overnight accommodations, $10 per passenger capacity, for hourly dayliners.

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The Cruising Guide to the New York State Canal System

The Canal Corporation publishes, The Cruising Guide to the New York State Canal System, a comprehensive guide to boating along the Canal System.  The most current version of the guide is the 3rd Edition and it includes information on the services and amenities along the Canal System, bridge clearance information, as well as tourism and Canalway Trail information. The Cruising Guide is highly recommended to those planning a trip on the Canal System and can be purchased for $19.95, plus tax and shipping and handling.  To order a copy of the guide, call 1-800-422-1825 or fill out an order form found on the Canal Corporation’s website, http://www.nyscanals.gov/exvac/cguide/index.html .

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Canalway Trail

The Canalway Trail was first envisioned as part of the 1995 Canal Recreationway Plan. The goal of this program is to establish an end-to-end multi-use trail along the NYS Canal System – more than 500 miles long – making it one of the most important long distance trails in the United States. More than 270 miles of Canalway Trail are now complete. The Canalway Trail program consists of linking the existing segments of completed trail and reconstructing the trail where needed to provide a consistent high-quality resource. Trailhead parking areas with interpretive kiosks, benches, and landscaping are also included in each project. Biker-Hiker-Boater campsites are also being installed at 30-mile increments to better facilitate long distance touring along the trail.

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Tugboat Urger Educational Program

The tugboat Urger is the flagship vessel in the New York State Canal Corporation’s fleet. Built in 1901 in Ferrysburg, Michigan, this venerable tug is one of the oldest working vessels in the country still afloat. Originally built for use as a commercial fishing vessel, the Urger was originally christened the “Henry J. Dornbos,” after a prominent Michigan merchant. It was described in the Detroit Free Press as the “finest fishing boat in the local fishing fleet.” In the early 1920s, the tug was sold, renamed the Urger, and entered the New York State Canal fleet. The Urger, stationed in Waterford, served more than 60 years hauling machinery, dredges and scows on the Erie and Champlain Canals until it was retired from service in the 1980s. In 2001, the Urger was named to the State and National Registers of Historic Places.

In 1991, the Urger, was called back into service with a new mission, serving as the focal point of a program to educate school children and adults about the importance of New York’s historic Canal System and the role that inland waterways have played historically, and continue to play, in the lives of people who live along them. In the spring and fall, the Urger visits communities along the Canal System and students in fourth-grade classes at local schools take field trips to the tug and participate in shore-side “hands-on” educational sessions. There they learn about the history of the Canals and the role construction of the Erie Canal played in making New York the “Empire State.” The New York State Canal Corporation presents the educational program at no charge to the participating schools.  During the summer months, the Urger travels the Canal System and participates in many canal community festival events.

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Annual Events on the Canal

Each year, the Canal Corporation produces two event calendars: a Summer Calendar of Event and a Winter Calendar of Events.  Each calendar includes a listing of the varied events that take place in the Canal communities throughout the season.  Some of the System-wide, annual featured events are the Canal Clean Sweep, the Canalway Trails Celebration, the Cycle the Erie Canal Bike Tour, and the Canal Splash!  For a complete listing of events, visit the New York State Canal Corporation’s website at http://www.nyscanals.gov/exvac/calendar/index.html or call the Canal Marketing Office at (518) 436-2799 to request a free hard copy.

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