The nearly $4 billion bridge over the Tappan Zee — officially known as the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge — opened to much fanfare six years ago. But now, the New York State Thruway Authority is suing the consortium that built it, claiming that some of its components weren’t up to contractual standards.
The lawsuit was filed in state Supreme Court in Albany on Thursday, and alleges that Tappan Zee Constructors breached its contract by refusing to redo the work after the bridge’s project director deemed it unsuitable, among other things. The NYSTA is seeking at least $6 million in damages.
“The New York State Thruway Authority is committed to ensuring contractor compliance to guarantee the toll payers get what they paid for in the construction of the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge,” NYSTA spokesperson Jennifer Givner said in a statement.
In an interview with CBS6 Albany, the NYSTA’s Executive Director Frank Hoare said the authority was particularly concerned about 31 of the bridge’s 192 anchor pipes. Still, Givner stated that independent experts confirmed the bridge was safe.
The lawsuit is the latest development in a wider dispute between the NYSTA and Tappan Zee Constructors. In 2021, the consortium filed a lawsuit against the NYSTA, seeking nearly $1 billion. That lawsuit was later dropped.
The NYSTA constructs, maintains and operates the New York State Thruway, a system of toll roads that extends for nearly 600 miles and connects the state’s largest cities. The bridge forms a vital part of it, carrying more than 50 million vehicles over the Tappan Zee section of the Hudson River each year. Around 140,000 vehicles use it daily. At 3.1 miles, it’s also the longest bridge in the state.
The bridge opened in 2018 to replace the older Tappan Zee Bridge, which had long faced concerns over its structural integrity. A website for the new bridge states that it is designed to last for 100 years without needing any major structural maintenance.
Rep. Mike Lawler, whose district includes the areas around the bridge, sent Gov. Kathy Hochul and other state officials a letter on Thursday expressing concern about reports of structural flaws in the bridge.
“As the largest bridge on the Thruway system, any safety concerns with the bridge pose a severe concern to all residents,” he wrote in the letter.
Tappan Zee Constructors could not be reached for comment.