Tappan Zee Bridge

Orski, Cox, Mueller, Pisarski, Rubin, Moretti, Gordon, Mallinckrodt, Poole, O’Toole and other members of Rail Skeptics United for US Taxpayers (RSUUST), guys, note this one down: the report of the New York Guv’s I-287 Corridor task force says (Fig 2-2) that of the am peak hour’s traffic crossing the Tappan Zee Bridge (TZB) only 28.9% is bound for New York City. Fully 36.1% is from low density/dispersed origins Rockland co to medium density dispersed destinations Westchester co. Another 17.6% is northern New Jersey to Westchester traffic, also low density/dispersed to medium density/dispersed. And 17.4% of the traffic is through trips from right outside the region. Add ‘em up: 36+18+17. Fully 71% of the traffic simply won’t be interested in line-haul mass transit to Manhattan, and of the remaining 29% much will come from low and medium density/ dispersed origins most of whom will require some shuttle and one mode change. Isn’t that powerful data to use against the railnuts who want to squander billions of taxpayer money on an I-287 rail line? No serious potential ridership for a rail project of Big Dig financial dimensions. At least for the Big Dig no-one doubts the traffic will come.