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A floating super crane capable of lifting 1,929 tons arrived at the Tappan Zee Bridge just before noon yesterday to speed construction of the bridge's replacement and deconstruction of the bridge itself—projects that have been estimated to exceed a $3.9 billion price tag before scheduled completion in 2018.
Officially known as the “Left Coast Lifter” and nicknamed "I Lift NY," the super crane arrived in New York in January after having completed a 6,000-mile long journey from its home in the San Francisco Bay area. Arriving at the Tappan Zee yesterday, it was greeted by a hopeful Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY AUTHORITY. For More photos, click here.
“Having a love affair with the crane is not normal and obvious, but anything that saves the state $1 billion, I think is great,” said Cuomo, according to the Journal News, after proposing an “I Love NY Crane” slogan for the floating super contraption.
But even though Cuomo estimates the crane will save the state some $1 billion, other numbers remain uncertain, such as the bridge’s future toll costs. Westchester County Executive (and Cuomo's Republican rival in New York's 2014 gubernatorial race) Rob Astorino speculated that tolls could rise to as high as $15, according to LoHud. Astorino, along with Rockland County Executive Ed Day, sent a letter expressing displeasure over the fact that Cuomo has not formed a state task force to handle the bridge's toll issues. Astorino also sent out a condemnatory tweet on Monday asking Cuomo to present a complete financial plan ahead of Election Day on November 4.
.@NYGovCuomo must explain to NYers how he plans to pay for the new Tappan Zee Bridge. pic.twitter.com/tPnPoLLjIQ
— Rob Astorino (@RobAstorino) October 6, 2014
“It’s going to be well after the election,” said Cuomo in response, according to the Journals News. “We won’t have the information for months and months and months. Remember, this is a bridge that’s not finished until 2018.”