All lanes reopened on Thruway, traffic normal for Friday

All lanes on the southbound Thruway in the vicinity of the Mario Cuomo Bridge reopened shortly after 7 p.m. Thursday, and traffic is moving normally Friday morning.

A crash that happened Thursday morning on the southbound Thruway between exit 10 and the bridge caused some major traffic backups Thursday morning.

The New York State Thruway Authority said a crash was blocking the left and center lanes between exit 10 in Nyack and the bridge.

State police said a tractor trailer carrying large pipes struck the South Broadway overpass on the Thruway in Rockland County. The tractor trailer was too tall to fit under the overpass, police said.

The southbound entrance ramp at exit 10 reportedly was closed earlier, but had reopened by late Thursday morning, according to the authority.

The crash had a serious impact on commuters.

Joe Solari is a New City resident who commutes to Stamford, Conn. for work. He said he left New City at 8:50 a.m. and didn't make it to the bridge until 11 a.m.

"There were times when I was actually in park on Route 59 and then on the Thruway because the traffic was at a complete standstill," Solari said. "I gave up trying to figure out a way around it because all roads leading to the bridge were blocked."

Solari said his typical commute is 45 minutes "door to door" and today took him three hours. He said the traffic on the Mario Cuomo Bridge is "an unfortunate reality for a majority of residents in the region.

Laureen Motto Gallo, a resident of Nyack, said the South Broadway overpass has been hit three previous times in the past year alone: on Sept. 16, 2022, Nov. 2, 2022 and April 7, 2023.

Nicolai Tiongson, a college student from Nyack, didn't make it to the first day of her last semester at Adelphi University on Long Island because of the traffic.

"I always leave two hours in advance but I was sitting in traffic in Nyack for nearly an hour and I knew I wouldn't make it," Tiongson said. "I tried taking alternate routes but I was at a standstill every time. Eventually I gave up and told myself to stay home and review the lectures."

"I've never missed a first day in college...so you can tell I was so bummed about it," she said.

The authority said drivers should plan for extended delays in that area and might want to seek alternate routes if possible.

The authority said this was a significant hit on the South Broadway Bridge, which was built in 1953. Two of its eight girders were badly damaged.

The authority said the bridge is closed at this time, temporary repairs are being made and permanent repairs are being evaluated. The bridge will remain closed until it undergoes a full inspection.

Mike Randall covers breaking news for the Times Herald-Record, Poughkeepsie Journal and The Journal News/lohud. Reach him at mrandall@th-record.com or on Twitter @mikerandall845.

This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: No more traffic backups on Cuomo Bridge