Southbound I-87 To Close For 16 Hours For Overpass Repair In Nyack

NYACK, NY — The southbound lanes of Interstate 87 will fully shut down to traffic from exit 12 in West Nyack to exit 9 in Tarrytown early Saturday morning for repairs to a severely damaged portion of the South Broadway overpass in South Nyack, New York State Thruway Authority officials announced Thursday evening.

The overpass, with which a tractor trailer carrying an over-height load collided Aug. 31, is currently closed to vehicle traffic.

Following multiple inspections this week, Thruway and consulting engineers determined that two damaged girders should be removed and other work completed to stabilize the bridge.

All southbound lanes south of exit 12 (West Nyack - NY Route 303 - Palisades Center Drive) and over the Mario Cuomo Bridge will be closed after 12:01 a.m. Saturday. They are not expected to fully reopen until later that afternoon or early evening depending on the operation, officials said.

Avoid the area beginning Friday night and take alternate routes on Saturday.

Variable Message Signs on the Thruway and surrounding highways are advising motorists to avoid the area.

Here’s what motorists and residents should expect starting Friday night:

• At 8 p.m. Friday, one southbound lane near exit 10 (Nyack - South Nyack - US Route 9W) will be closed, leaving three travel lanes.
• At 11 p.m. Friday, three southbound lanes near exit 10 will be closed, leaving only one travel lane open. Traffic delays will be significant.
• After 11 p.m. Friday, the entrance ramps to the southbound Thruway at exits 10, 11 (Nyack), 12 and 13 (Palisades Interstate Parkway) will begin to close.
• After 12:01 a.m. Saturday, all southbound lanes will be closed and all traffic will be diverted to exit 12 in West Nyack.
• All day Saturday – work will continue on the overpass and highway below followed by the cleanup.
• Travel lanes will open as soon as safely possible.

The northbound direction will remain open throughout the work, but the northbound left lane near the work zone will be closed.

The Authority is working with state, county and local authorities on the operation, which will take place rain or shine.

The pre-dawn crash closed multiple lanes on the southbound side of the Thruway for 12 hours, causing massive traffic back-ups during what travel organization AAA said was the busiest drive time over the long Labor Day weekend — Thursday afternoon.

The driver of the tractor trailer, Ivan N. Varava, 39, of Hollywood, Florida, was traveling south when the large steel tower he was transporting struck the overpass causing significant structural damage, New York State police said. The clearance for the overpass was 14'1."

Varava was driving for the company San Trans Inc out of Bartlett, Illinois, and did not have a permit to transport the oversized load on the Thruway, officials said. He was issued multiple traffic tickets for violating Thruway Rules and Regulations.

The steel tower on the truck measured 13'11" after impact forced it down into the floor of the flatbed, state police said.

New York State Thruway officials said the maximum allowable height on the Thruway is 13 feet 6 inches. The Thruway Authority will pursue recovery of all damages suffered as a result of the bridge hit, they said.

SEE ALSO:

• Bridge Reopens With Severe Restrictions After Thruway Truck Crash
• 'Significant' Delays Persist After Truck Hits Overpass On I-87