The New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA) has filed a lawsuit against Tappan Zee Constructors, the consortium responsible for building the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, formerly known as the Tappan Zee Bridge.
According to the NYSTA, Tappan Zee Constructors breached their contract by refusing to rectify the alleged deficiencies after being notified that the work was considered substandard. The authority is now seeking a minimum of $1 million in damages, aiming to ensure that the toll payers who funded the bridge receive the quality promised.
The lawsuit, lodged in the state Supreme Court in Albany, claims that certain components of the nearly $4 billion bridge do not meet the contractual standards set during construction.
The lawsuit highlights particular concerns about 31 of the bridge’s 192 anchor pipes, which the NYSTA’s Executive Director Frank Hoare described as problematic. Despite these concerns, Givner assured the public that independent experts have confirmed the bridge’s safety.
NYSTA spokesperson Jennifer Givner emphasized the authority’s commitment to holding contractors accountable. “The New York State Thruway Authority is committed to ensuring contractor compliance to guarantee the toll payers get what they paid for in the construction of the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge,” Givner said in a statement.
This legal action represents the latest chapter in an ongoing dispute between the NYSTA and Tappan Zee Constructors. In 2021, the consortium filed its own lawsuit against the authority, seeking nearly $1 billion, although that lawsuit was eventually withdrawn.
The Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, which spans the Hudson River and serves as a critical part of the state’s 600-mile Thruway system, was opened in 2018 to replace the aging Tappan Zee Bridge. The structure, at 3.1 miles, is the longest in New York State, carrying approximately 140,000 vehicles daily.
The bridge was designed with a 100-year lifespan, intended to operate without the need for major structural maintenance. However, recent concerns have prompted local officials to call for closer scrutiny. Rep. Mike Lawler, who represents the district encompassing the bridge, sent a letter to Governor Kathy Hochul and other state officials expressing alarm over the reported structural issues. “As the largest bridge on the Thruway system, any safety concerns with the bridge pose a severe concern to all residents,” Lawler stated.
As of now, Tappan Zee Constructors has not responded to requests from numerous news outlets for comment on the lawsuit. The website and contact information for Tappan Zee Constructors is currently unavailable, and at the time of writing of this article – a LinkedIn page for the LLC remains unclaimed.