Tappan Zee Bridge Replacement

Mario M. Cuomo (Tappan Zee) Bridge - Photo courtesy New York Thruway Authority

Rebuilding America's Infrastructure

The Mario M. Cuomo (Tappan Zee) Bridge, at 3.1 miles long, is a twin-span, cable-stayed replacement for the old Tappan Zee Bridge, crossing the Hudson River about 25 miles north of New York City. Its eight lanes carry the New York State Thruway, Interstate 87, and Interstate 287 as well as bus lanes during rush hour. Its design includes a shared-use path for pedestrians and cyclists and for future light rail or commuter rail service.

The 50,000 tons of structural steel that High Steel Structures LLC fabricated support the road deck and infrastructure for the east and west approach spans of the new bridge.

Headquartered in Lancaster, Pa., High Steel partnered with Hirschfeld Industries, with headquarters in San Angelo, Texas, to deliver the 100,000 tons of steel required.

*Photo courtesy New York Thruway Authority

“This is the largest contract that any High company ever executed. It puts us in a special place: We can do things that not everybody can.”

Jeff Sterner, President and COO of High Industries Inc.

Innovating to Meet a Massive Project’s Goals

Given its huge size, scope, and cost, the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge (Tappan Zee) project had to bring together the most capable and dependable large-capacity companies in the bridge construction industry.

High Steel’s Innovative success factors included:

An $11 million expansion of our Williamsport facility 200 additional positions
Retooling to fabricate the outsized bridge-span components
Purpose-designed production methods to increase efficiency and maintain schedules
Recoded in-house software to meet outsized-girder specifications
New rapid digital radiography method that X-rays steel thickness (for quality control) in 12 seconds instead of up to an hour
Advanced-technology equipment—exclusive to High Steel in the U.S.—that drills bolt holes in steel parts at the top and sides simultaneously

The national winner of the AISC 2020 Prize Bridge Awards, the Tappan Zee was featured in the History Channel's "Project Impossible" series: View Here

“For us, success equals opportunities for improvement.”

Ronnie Medlock, Vice President of Technical Services, High Steel Structures

We're Always Hiring

High offers various employment opportunities with the potential for fulfilling career growth. We are always looking for talented individuals with the following skills. Talk with someone from our Human Resources team to find out if there’s a role that seems like a good match for you.