Letters: Bridges need attention, resources

"A bridge too far-gone" [Editorial, July 24] makes a strong case for replacement of the Tappan Zee Bridge, citing not only its increasing deterioration but its economic impact on the entire region. As the issue of high cost always becomes the driving factor, we sometimes overlook what may be a more worthwhile (yet more expensive) approach, at least for the initial investment: Replace the bridge with a tunnel system.

Parallel tunnels can be designed to address the issues raised with the Tappan Zee Bridge. Present and future capacity, a mass transit solution, and a maintenance feature (service tunnel) can be incorporated.

The cost would result in an enormous initial expense, but the life-cycle cost of a tunnel versus a bridge may be the deciding factor. Before committing to a bridge, recently completed tunnel projects in the United States or abroad should be studied.

As with many capital projects, focus is sometimes placed on the initial outlay rather than taking a step back and viewing long-term maintenance and support costs. What is the calculated useful life of a replacement bridge compared to that of a tunnel?

John Santamaria, Farmingdale

Editor's note: The writer is an engineer.
 

Your editorial highlights a problem that needs to be addressed, but there are similar issues closer to home that also need to be highlighted to stimulate needed action.

Newsday has reported on Long Island bridges that are in desperate need of repair or replacement. Ranked second was the Ellison Avenue railroad bridge in Westbury. This bridge is one of only a handful of major central Nassau north-south corridors, and serves tens of thousands of vehicles each week. The Long Island Rail Road and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority have been on notice from the village for more than 20 years that this bridge needs to be replaced.

However, despite lip service, railroad officials have done nothing concrete to move the ball forward. They have ridiculously inferred that this is a local problem for the village to address. In fact, common sense and state law provide that this bridge is infrastructure of the railroad and is the railroad's responsibility.

State infrastructure is crumbling all around us. We need not travel upstate to find examples.

Peter I. Cavallaro, Westbury

Editor's note: The writer is the mayor of the Village of Westbury.
 

You advocate the standard state of New York approach: Increase taxes (in this case, tolls) to pay for the project. We already collect plenty of tolls, gasoline taxes and car registration fees to finance road and bridge construction in the state. Our elected representatives, however, have stolen that money and dumped it into the money pit at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Many states mandate that toll and gas-tax money collected from motorists be spent only on road projects. If New York State adopted that simple reform, the problem of paying for the Tappan Zee and other bridge and road repairs would be solved.

Martin D. Kennedy, East Northport