Tappan Zee Bridge Will Partially Open in Weeks

Finally.

According to a press release, New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced that the new Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge will open on Aug. 25.

In a statement Cuomo said, "This major milestone in the project to replace the aging Tappan Zee Bridge will be the first step in alleviating congestion for commuters while offering a state-of-the-art link over the Hudson River, built to last for generations to come."

The bridge is set to open fully in 2018, but westbound traffic will be the first traffic the bridge sees come Aug. 25. The New York Thruway Authority and Tappan Zee Constructors will shift "four lanes of westbound and northbound traffic to the new span" on the night of the 25th.

The Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge is the largest bridge project in the history of the New York State Thruway Authority and is budgeted at $3.98 billion.

The New Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge will connect Rockland and Westchester counties as well as serve as a main connection for Upstate New York to the city.

Building the new bridge has been no small feat. Since the project started in 2013 more than 6,800 people have contributed and put 8 million hours of man power into the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge.