Plan now! Expect NY Thruway, Cuomo bridge closure to cause havoc throughout region

The Saturday closure of the Thruway southbound in eastern Rockland and over the Cuomo/Tappan Zee Bridge will surely cause traffic chaos and flared tempers. The best advice, Thruway and local leaders say: Stay far away from local roads.

The South Broadway overpass that was struck by an over-height truck Aug. 31 needs to be fixed to be safe, Thruway officials said.

But the short advance notice — the New York State Thruway Authority press release announcing the road shutdown landed in inboxes less than 30 hours ahead of the shutdown — means many travelers won't know about the closure until they are kicked off the Thruway in the West Nyack area.

Traffic alert: No southbound access to Cuomo/Tappan Zee Bridge Saturday as Thruway closes in eastern Rockland

"Our engineers and team of experts determined that these emergency repairs needed to be done," Thruway spokesperson Jennifer Givner said. "We are trying to minimize the impacts to our motorists by doing it on a Friday evening into Saturday, not impacting the daily commute, not impacting the return to school."

Traffic trouble to build Friday night

The traffic pinch will likely begin around 8 tonight, when the right southbound lane near Exit 10 on the Thruway will be shut. By 11 p.m., that stretch of the southbound Thruway will be down to one lane and Thruway southbound entrance ramps at exits 10, 11 (Nyack), 12 and 13 (Palisades Interstate Parkway) will begin to close.

By midnight, all southbound lanes will be closed and traffic will be diverted at Exit 12, meaning if you're heading toward the bridge, you will have to get off at the Palisades Center in West Nyack.

"We are communicating and coordinating with local communities," Givner said. She said Thruway and local officials discussed the plan Thursday before the advisory. They were continuing to meet through Friday.

Rockland County Office of Fire & Emergency Services Director Chris Kear said he has been talking with local police, the Thruway, state troopers and emergency staff around the region. "All the players in the game that might be affected by this closure."

The Aug. 31 overpass shutdown provided a foreshadowing of the issues emergency responders could face, Kear said, when ambulances couldn't get through. Emergency vehicles that need to get to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla will be able to access the bridge via the service entrance on River Road under the Rockland landing. "If someone needs to be transported," Kear said, "they can get there."

Signage is posted beyond Albany to alert drivers, and Thruway officials are talking with trucking industry officials too.

The Trucking Association of New York has spread the word through its Friday newsletter, an email blast to all members and contacts, on its social media and plans an alert on its mobile app.

"Obviously the shutdown is the critical piece of this, but one of the issues that's prominent to our association," TANY spokesman David Carnevale said. The bigger picture: how the damage happened that's precipitating this massive highway shutdown.

"This serves as a good reminder of knowing your vehicle height and paying attention to height restrictions," Carnevale said. "Bridge strikes are a serious issue for reasons such of this. It causes damages, accidents and shutdowns."

Ways across the Hudson

The two nearest ways to cross the Hudson are the Bear Mountain Bridge to the north and the George Washington Bridge down in Jersey. Expect both to be slammed. The traffic on the inbound GW throughout the day on Aug. 31 was abysmal, commuters complained.

Givner's advice: "Avoid the area entirely. Plan alternate routes. Build in extra time for your travel."

Kear concurred. "We're just telling everybody to avoid the Thruway starting at 8 or even earlier."

Signage warning of the closures is posted along the Thruway and Interstate 90 past Albany. "We don't want people to get all that way," Givner said. "Veer off at the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, peel off on Route 17 down to the GW."

She and Thruway officials know that's not going to happen with everyone. That's one reason Exit 12 is the traffic terminus; its loops around the mall with plenty of space can help drivers navigate connections to alternate roads.

Still, the closure has to be done, Givner said, and the traffic mess weathered.

"We want people to understand, this is a prolonged closure," Givner said. "Because this operation needs to happen safely."

Kear said the region is prepared as best as possible. "We hope that they make the repairs a lot sooner than anticipated," he said. "But you never know."

Nancy Cutler covers People & Policy for lohud.com and the USA Today Network New York. Reach her at ncutler@lohud.com; follow here on Twitter (X), Instagram and Threads at @nancyrockland.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Tappan Zee Cuomo Bridge and New York State Thruway to squeeze region