The top contending design for the new Tappan Zee Bridge has a Russian twin.
Many people probably have never heard of a place called Vladivostok, but the coastal city in the far eastern part of Russia now has a big connection to our region. See a Google map.
The newly completed bridge across the Golden Horn Bay links two sections of Vladivostok and looks a lot like the unique design pitched by Tappan Zee Constructors, the team the state advisory committee recently recommended for the Tappan Zee job.
The design, featuring distinct V-shaped towers, is so rare that the Golden Horn Bay bridge is likely the only span in the world that uses it, state officials have said.
The Golden Horn Bay Bridge, which just opened last summer, was one of two spans built in preparation for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit held in Vladivostok this year. The crossing has six lanes and is about 1.3 miles long, according to the summit’s website.
The second bridge constructed for the summit is a $1 billion cable-stayed span that connects the city to nearby Russky Island, according to published reports.
What do you think of the design now that you’ve seen the video? Leave your comments below.
5 Comments
Nice bridge – anyone else notice that there is NO TOLL !!
Also, it only cost $1 Billion as opposed to $4 Billion. Why?
Hi Jared,
The $1 billion figure refers to the second bridge that was just built in that city. I couldn’t find a figure for the one that looks like the Tappan Zee design.
Do you know Russian? Can you search Russian news webpages? That would help me!
-Theresa, reporter
Jared,
Actually they do list the cost, but I would need to convert the currency to dollars. Let me try to work on that.
THANK YOU FOR LOCATING THE ZOLOTOY ROG BRIDGE AS THE PROTOTYPE FOR THE PROPOSAL 1 BRIDGE FOR THE TAPPAN ZEE. THERE ARE A FEW DIFFERENCES:
1. LENGTH – 0.8 MILES FOR ZR VS 3.2 MILES FOR THE TZB.
2. PIERS ARE ON SOLID GROUND FOR ZR, BOTH SIDES, VS. 800 FEET OF SILT FOR THE TZB.
3. ONE BRIDGE VS. TWO.
4. 6 LANES VS. 8 LANES FOR THE TZB.
WEIGHTING THE ABOVE FACTS, THE TWIN TZB’S SHOULD AND WILL COST 24 TIMES THE ZR BRIDGE. ARE WE GETTING A BARGAIN OR ARE WE LOOKING AT WILD COST OVERRUNS?
ON THE OTHER HAND, THE SHANGHAI TWIN TUNNELS WITH 6 LANES OVER 4 RAILS, 4.6 MILES LONG, WAS BUILT FOR $0.8 BILLION ($800 MILLION) IN 22 MONTHS THROUGH SIMILAR SILT WITH NO ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE WHATSOEVER. MAYBE GOVERNOR CUOMO HAS SOME OTHER AGENDA – IT CERTAINLY ISN’T TO PRODUCE THE MOST RELIABLE AND ECONOMICAL CROSSING OF THE HUDSON RIVER.