The Tappan Zee bridge in New York is in need of replacement quickly, but numerous controversies have put the project on hold for the time being.
According to The New York Times, the bridge was originally set to last for 50 years. It's now been in service for 56. Officials have long talked about replacing the crucial bridge, but financial woes are making that difficult right now.
The original plan for the new bridge was scrapped after conflicts arose over the cost. The key point for the bridge is whether it will support mass transit - something like a high-speed train. Rockland and Westchester counties, on either side of the bridge, want to see this included in the proposal, but the state has made it clear it doesn't want to pay for it.
Meanwhile, construction expert Ross Pepe recently told the two counties that the bridge could be built in a way that would get the project done but leave it open to the prospect of a mass transit line in the future, reports The Daily Bedford. Essentially, building the bridge for now would not prevent train tracks from being incorporated down the line if the structure was built a certain way.
Although the numerous parties involved seem to be slow at getting the ball rolling, Pepe seems optimistic about the future for the prospect, saying that contractors will begin submitting bids for the work soon. Construction company owners who want to keep costs down in order to win contracts may want to consider buying used construction equipment online through IronPlanet.
