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 it's safety record, operating one of the largest and safest superhighways i the nation.

During 2004, the Thruway experienced a fatality rate of 0.40 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles - almost four times safer than the national average of 1.46 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles driven.

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Maintenance

Specially trained crews maintain the Thruway throughout the year at an annual cost of more than $75 million. More than 1,600 maintenance personnel use about 3,000 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 300 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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Trucking Economies

Hundreds of trucking companies and businesses have found that it is simply good business to use the New York State Thruway for the bulk of their operations. Within this 641-mile superhighway system trucking companies get the speed, safety, convenience and low maintenance that save them time and money.

The use of tandem trailers is another way that truckers save money on the Thruway. Tandems are comprised of a heavy-duty truck tractor hauling two regular sized trailers linked by a “converter dolly” unit. In addition to proven savings in fuel, oil, maintenance and wear on brakes and motors, additional factors that attract trucks to the Thruway include: weight-distance tax exemption, charge accounts, volume discounts, safety, superior winter highway maintenance, communications, and field service provided by the Authority’s commercial representatives.

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Economic Impact

The Thruway has had a tremendous impact on the Empire State’s economy. Industries and commercial enterprises are quick to take advantage of the safe, swift and sure travel afforded by the Thruway. The value of new or expanded industrial and commercial development along the Thruway has long since exceeded the billion-dollar cost of building the superhighway.

Among the major industries which have constructed plants along the Thruway are General Electric, IBM, General Motors, Chrysler, Bristol Laboratories, Westinghouse, Sears Roebuck and American Machine and Foundry. Newer enterprises sparked by the Thruway include multi-million-dollar retail shopping centers, trucking terminals, large housing developments, motels, gasoline stations, and many other types of large and small businesses.

In addition to the financial commitments for new plants and construction along the Thruway, the superhighway has stimulated new business throughout the State. New York’s multi-billion-dollar tourism industry is supported by the Thruway, which offers ease of travel and encourages motorists to travel often for business and pleasure. Nearly every community along the Thruway route has experienced this economic revolution, and its resultant boom in real estate values.

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The Governor Malcolm Wilson 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.

The long-term needs of the Tappan Zee Bridge (TZB) and the adjacent I-287 Corridor are being address in a multi-agency study. In April 2001, the Authority and Metro-North initiated a comprehensive study of regional transportation needs and mobility in the 30-mile corridor along I-287 from Suffern to Port Chester, including the TZB. The focus of the Study is on the structural condition of the bridge and identifying alternatives for improving corridor mobility. In December 2005, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) was formally included in the Study as the Team Leader. In May 2007, NYSDOT formally became the Project Director, responsible for all study management efforts and outcomes.

In January 2006, the Study's first major milestone was reached with the issuance of the Alternative Analysis (AA) report. This report identified six alternatives to be studied in more detail during the development of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), anticipated to be completed by early 2008.

In February 2007, open houses were held in both Rockland and Westchester Counties which provided the public with its first look at the results to date of the ongoing preliminary engineering work for all six alternatives under consideration in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). This work in progress showed each of the six alternatives on 50-foot-long maps. Each map included specific highway and transit features of an alternative including various sub-options for several of the alternatives.

Through out most of 2007 technical work on the study progressed, and the reactions from the public during the open houses and other stakeholder meetings were considered and resulted in some alternative options introduced in 2008. In addition, the Study team renewed regular meeting with our two federal co-lead partners, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). As a result, process improvements were developed in 2007, and formally announced in 2008 along with an extended schedule that anticipates the DEIS is completed early 2009.

For more information visit: www.tzbsite.com/

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 2008. 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.
  For more information visit: www.nysthruway.gov/projectsandstudies/projects/tzbdeck/index.html

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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The 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.

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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 is $4.50 for passenger cars; the toll varies for commercial traffic as it is based upon vehicle size and time of travel. As of October 2007, approximately 74 percent of all toll transactions processed on the TZB utilize E-ZPass. During the commuter hours of 6 a.m. - 10 a.m., E-ZPass accounts for approximately 86 percent of toll transactions per hour at the Tappan Zee Bridge.

The Tappan Zee Bridge has had congestion pricing in effect for commercial vehicles since 1997 in an effort to discourage commercial traffic from crossing the Bridge during rush hours. Extending congestion pricing for all vehicles remains an option. In addition, the Thruway Authority is currently helping to implement traffic demand management alternatives designed to reduce traffic. These alternatives include programs that encourage van pooling and the use of shuttle and bus service. The Authority is also examining the feasibility of additional park and ride lots and increased ferry service.

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Tappan Zee Bridge Personnel

A 70-member 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, two tug boats, two work boats, four 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. Three tow trucks and a flat bed truck are in service on the Bridge.

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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 and is filled with pleasure boats, fishermen and cyclists riding the former towpaths where mules once trod. The excitement of the past is alive and well.

On November 5, 1992, the New York State Thruway Authority formed the New York State Canal Corporation and 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, 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, with Governor George Pataki’s support, the Thruway Authority and Canal Corporation launched a five-year, $32.3 million initiative to preserve and develop the Canal System for the 21st century. The Canal Revitalization Program 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 Governor George E. Pataki’s $50 million Canal Revitalization Program. A major focus of Governor Pataki’s Program is the investment of $35 million to complete the Erie Canalway Bike and Pedestrian Trail, linking Lake Erie in Buffalo to the Hudson River in Albany. The $50 million program will be financed with $25 million from the federal Department of Transportation Enhancement Program, which is administered by the State Department of Transportation, and $25 million in Canal Corporation capital funds.

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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 Branch, 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 18 lift bridges (16 on the Erie Canal and two on the Oswego Canal). Locks and lift bridges operate daily from early May to early 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 early October, 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. Channel depths are subject to variation.

It takes the average boat approximately 20 minutes to go through a Lock. The lock chambers are approximately 300 feet in length, allowing boats up to 296 feet in length and 43.5 feet in width to lock through.

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Canal Tolls

All recreation use tolls for 2006 have been waived. No passes are necessary for recreational boaters.

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Commercial Canal Shipping

Around-the-clock service is available for commercial traffic. However, commercial operators must provide at least 24-hour prior notice to the New York State Canal Corporation to arrange for roving lock operations. Commercial operators requiring after-hours service should contact the Canal Traffic Agent at (518) 471-5016, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. After business hours and on weekends, commercial interests should call Lock 12 on the Champlain Canal at (518) 499-1700.

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Permit Fees 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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Tugboat Urger

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.

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Education

In 1991, the Canal Corporation’s flagship vessel, the tugboat 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.

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Annual Events on the Canal

Visit the New York State Canal Corporation's website to view the various annual events that take place on the canal.

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