BILL NUMBER: S9216A
SPONSOR: HINCHEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act in relation to directing the department of transportation and
certain public authorities to study certain bridges spanning bodies of
water connected to deep water ports in the state to determine whether
such bridges have the structural integrity to withstand an impact from a
large vessel; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon the
expiration thereof
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To examine the structural integrity of bridges in New York State to
withstand the impact from large ships and make recommendations to issues
discovered.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 directs the New York State Department of Transportation, New
York State Bridge Authority, the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority,
the New York State Thruway Authority and the Port Authority of New York
and New Jersey to conduct a study to determine the ability of certain
bridges in the state to withstand an impact to the support structures of
the bridges from large ships, including but not limited to:
* cargo vessels;
* oil tankers; and
* passenger ships
Upon conclusion of each study, the Commissioner and the Public Authori-
ties shall prepare and issue a comprehensive report of their study find-
ings and recommendations for improvements to each bridge.
(a) The Department of Transportation shall study the following bridges:
i. Dunn Memorial Bridge; and
ii. Patroon Island Bridge.
(b) The Bridge Authority shall study the following bridges;
i. Bear Mountain Bridge;
ii. Newburgh-Beacon Bridge;
iii. Mid-Hudson Bridge;
iv. Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge;
v. Rip Van Winkle Bridge; and
vi. Walkway over the Hudson Pedestrian Bridge.
(c) The Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority shall study the following
bridges:
i. Bronx-Whitestone Bridge;
ii. Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge;
iii. Henry Hudson Bridge;
iv. Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge;
v. Robert F. Kennedy Bridge;
vi. Throgs Neck Bridge; and
vii. Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.
(d) The Thruway Authority shall study the following bridges:
i. Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge; and
ii. Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge.
(e) The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey shall study the
following bridges:
i. George Washington Bridge;
ii. Bayonne Bridge;
iii. Geothals Bridge; and vi. Outerbridge Crossing Bridge.
For each bridge, the study shall include:
a) Age of the bridge;
b) Amount of traffic traveling through the waters below the bridge;
c) Current condition of the bridge;
d) Any known or newly discovered chronic issue or problem with the
bridge;
e) Type, size, and construction of the support structures of the bridge;
f) Type, size, and construction of any barriers surrounding the base of
the support structures and the water channels occupied by the vessels;
g) Width between the support structures of the bridge;
h) Height of the bridge;
i) Topography near the bridge, including sand bars, shallows, cliffs,
etc..;
j) The area a vessel may safely access during a maneuver to avoid the
bridge in the event of a loss of power or propulsion or other emergency;
and
k) Any other matters the Commissioner deems necessary.
Section 2 states that the report shall be submitted to the Governor,
Speaker of the Assembly, and Temporary President of the Senate no later
than January 1, 2028.
The Commissioner shall submit with this report such legislative
proposals as deemed necessary to implement the recommendations of the
study.
The report shall also be published on the website of the Department of
Transportation no later than one month after it is completed.
Section 3 allows the commissioner and public authorities to consult with
any additional entities deemed necessary to conducting the studies
required by this act.
Section 4 sets forth the definitions for the purposes of this act:
1. "Bridge Authority" shall mean the New York State Bridge Authority
created pursuant to section 527 of the Public Authorities Law;
2. "Commissioner" shall mean the commissioner of the Department of
Transportation of the State of New York;
3. "Department of Transportation" shall mean the department of transpor-
tation of the State of New York;
4. "Port Authority of New York and New Jersey" shall mean that body
corporate and politic created pursuant to article 3 of chapter 154 of
the laws of 1921, and designated as "The Port Authority of New York and
New Jersey" by such chapter;
5. "Public Authorities" shall mean the Bridge Authority, the Triboorough
Bridge and Tunnel Authority, the Thruway Authority, and the Port Author-
ity of New York and New Jersey;
6. "Thruway Authority" shall mean the New York State Thruway Authority,
a body corporate and politic constituting a public corporation created
and constituted pursuant to title 9 of article 2 of the Public Authori-
ties Law; and
7. "Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority" shall mean the corporation
organized pursuant to section 552 of the Public Authorities Law.
Section 5 sets forth the effective date which shall be immediately and
expire and be deemed repealed April 1, 2028; provided, however, that the
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey shall not be subject to the
provisions of this act until the date of enactment into law by the State
of New Jersey of legislation having an identical effect with this act,
but if the state of New Jersey shall have already enacted such legis-
lation the provisions of this act shall apply to the Port Authority of
New York and New Jersey immediately; and provided further, that the
executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
shall notify the legislative bill drafting commission upon the occur-
rence of the enactment of the legislation provided for in this act in
order that the commission may maintain an accurate and timely effective
data base of the official text of laws of the State of New York in
furtherance of effectuating the provisions of section 44 of the Legisla-
tive Law and section 70-b of the Public Officers Law.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Anyone watching the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore collapse so
easily after being hit by a cargo ship had to wonder, "What about our
bridges? Are they safe from a wayward cargo ship or tanker? What would
be the loss of life and the impact on our economy? What would it cost to
replace the bridge?" That bridge, which carried Interstate 695,
collapsed like a house of cards. Were it not for the quick actions of
the ship's crew in communicating what had happened, and the swift
response of emergency operators and bridge authorities in closing the
bridge, many more people would have died.
Tragically enough, six individuals working on the bridge died. If the
collision had occurred during rush hour, rather than at 1:30 in the
morning, much more traffic and many more people would have been on the
bridge, resulting in a greater tragedy.
1-695 is one of three crossings through and around Baltimore heading
north/south and to the east coast. The Key Bridge carried approximately
12 million vehicles a year - about 33,000 vehicles per day. With its
collapse, the inner loop of 1-695 is closed and drivers must take the
195 or 1895 tunnels for these routes. The Port of Baltimore is still not
operational, costing approximately $15 million per day in lost economic
activity, including $1.5 million each day in state and local taxes.
Repairing the Key Bridge will cost an estimated $4 billion and take
several years.
In my district in the Hudson Valley, the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, which
crosses the Hudson River and carries 1-84, goes east/west and connects
the northeast to the rest of country. 1-84 is a major commercial and
passenger route that connects with the New York State Thruway (1-87)
less than 5 miles from the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge. It averages more than
65,000 vehicles per day. The economic impact to the local, state and
national economy would be huge. The George Washington Bridge carries
more than 300,000 vehicles per day. The loss of life and damage to the
economy of the greater New York City metropolitan area would be immea-
surable if this bridge collapsed. The same can be said of all the bridg-
es proposed for review in this bill.
This bill would require New York State to be proactive by mandating the
review of bridges that are subject to large cargo ships and tankers, and
understanding whether their piers are protected. We, as a State, do not
want to be in a position of only offering our thoughts and prayers if
any of our bridges collapse after being hit by a wayward cargo ship. We
should not wait for a New York State bridge to collapse to conduct this
study.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: A9965 - Referred to Assembly Transportation Committee
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
Cost of review of bridges to be determined. No cost to local govern-
ments.