Choose Your Tower Top for the TZ Bridge

The open-tower H design is here to stay, Tappan Zee Constructors said, but small details along the way will be up for debate, such as the tops of the main span towers.

The Visual Quality Panel, which includes Tarrytown Bridge liaison David Aukland, presented to the public an opportunity to vote on their website (by March 19) on which tower top design they like best.

Option A: rectangular-topped towers that rise 409 feet above the water. This look involves no changes to structure, timeline or cost.

Option B: angled or “chamfered”-top towers that rise 419 feet from the water, appear more slender, and come recommended by the VQP. There would be no changes to the construction schedule or structure (beyond additional concrete), but a possible “minimal” increase in the price.

“From the beginning, a primary goal of this project has been to provide the Hudson Valley with an aesthetically pleasing bridge they can be proud of,” said VQP Chair Brian Conybeare, who is also Governor Cuomo’s special advisor for the New NY Bridge. “It’s our job to work with the public to ensure we meet this goal. Needless to say, we are looking forward to hearing residents’ thoughts on these two great designs.”

Comments will be collected on the bridge's website, www.NewNYBridge.com, through Tuesday, March 19. From there, the VQP will consider the feedback and make their final recommendation to the Thruway Authority.

What do you think? Vote on the bridge website and weigh in below.