TARRYTOWN, N.Y., July 23 (UPI) -- The Tappan Zee Bridge north of New York City has reopened to traffic in both directions five days after a construction crane collapsed on the span, blocking all seven lanes of traffic.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the bridge reopened around 6 p.m. Saturday local time. Cuomo said state employees worked around the clock to remove the crane and make repairs in order to reopen the span.
"The Tappan Zee Bridge is a vital part of the state and region's transportation network and crews have been working around the clock to fix the damage from Tuesday's crane collapse," Cuomo said. "Hundreds of thousands of commuters rely on the bridge each day, so our priority has been expediting the repairs and getting back to full capacity. I am grateful to all of the men and women who have worked tirelessly all week to get the job done."
The crane collapse happened Tuesday, when it fell, injuring two construction workers and three nearby motorists. Despite falling directly across the well-traveled bridge, the crane did not directly strike any vehicles when it went down. The motorists injured were involved in traffic accidents resulting from the incident and the large crane did not do any major structural damage to the span.
The crane was being used to erect the replacement to the 60-year-old span, which crosses the Hudson River at one of its widest points and is a vital bridge for residents living in the Hudson River Valley. The Tappan Zee Bridge is used by some 140,000 commuters daily and connects Tarrytown and South Nyack, N.Y.
