(IND) Tappan Zee Bridge: $20M grant fund receives $65M in requests

A community grant fund set up as part of the Tappan Zee Bridge project is so popular it has attracted 125 applications, totaling $65 million — a whopping $45 million more than the pot of available money.
And that money is going fast.

So far, a review committee has approved $5.1 million for local improvements, including bridge construction viewing platforms in Tarrytown and South Nyack, noise reducing windows and doors in residential neighborhoods and a redevelopment study of the Exit 10 area on the New York State Thruway, project officials say.

The $20 million fund — made up with two $10 million contributions from the New York State Thruway Authority and bridge builder Tappan Zee Constructors — was formed last year to help those living closest to the Tappan Zee construction.

Tarrytown submitted a request for a viewing area, which was approved with a $50,000 grant, but officials are still waiting to hear about requests for a new firetruck, fire boat, and ambulance, totaling more than $1 million.

Tarrytown Mayor Drew Fixell said village emergency responders are among the first to arrive at incidents on the Tappan Zee, and their vehicles do need to be replaced.

"I feel like we put in a good application," he said, but "I have no idea what the other requests are."
Officials have said groups can submit applications until July 2017 or until all the money is handed out.

In other Tappan Zee news:

A project official confirmed that the Thruway Authority has held back a $1 million payment to Tappan Zee Constructors over a series of loose barges. Last month, a large barge carrying steel piles broke free from the construction site and traveled two miles down the Hudson River before it was recovered. It was the third time in recent months barges had come loose. The Thruway Authority announced that it wouldn't pay TZC for safety, security and management — roughly $1 million a month — until the Thruway Authority approves a new safety plan, and it is put into place. Officials have said all construction barges and vessels will be equipped with GPS devices by the end of the month.

The withheld payment would have been part of the Thruway's compensation to TZC for its work in February.