GWB Construction Could Bring More Motorists to TZ Bridge

This summer could be remembered as a traffic hell by commuters who travel east over the George Washington Bridge, due to the closure of a lane on the oft-congested Cross Bronx Expressway for construction.

The closure is slated to run from today through Labor Day, and take place on the Alexander Hamilton Bridge, which spans the Harlem River and connects Manhattan to the Bronx.

And the traffic problems will likely stretch up north, when commuters who normally take the GW decide to cross the Tappan Zee Bridge, instead.

New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials are urging motorists to take mass transit into New York if possible—or consider an "alternate route" or travel during off-peak hours "to limit delays."

The Port Authority has also been issuing text and email alerts with similar suggestions, noting the long-term I-95 Cross Bronx Expressway construction "may cause significant EB delays at the GWB" and motorists should therefore "seek alternate routes."

The Tappan Zee already sees about 135,000 drivers each day, more than it was originally intended to handle.

Several other significant roadways feed into and out of the span, including the Harlem River Drive and Major Deegan Expressway.