WPCNR THE TAPPAN ZEE NEWS. October 14, 2008: The Tappan Zee Bridge/I-287 Enivironmental Review “team” will hold a public information meeting two weeks from today on October 28  at 4:30 P.M. and 7 PM at White Plains High School to brief the public on their final decision of how the Tappan Zee Bridge will be replaced. The public will be informed by a presentation on the state decision to build a new Tappan Zee Bridge with a dedicated Bus Rapid Transit  line plus commuter rail from Rockland County to Grand Central, with the Bus system  across Westchester incorporated into the Cross Weschester Expressway through White Plains.

Questions, comments and concerns will be answered.  Local residents and officials have until December 1 to submit comments.

The issues of how any Bus Rapid Transit System will be structurally incorporated into I-287  which courses through White Plains and other Westchester communities (Tarrytown, Elmsford, Rye, Port Chester) have not been addressed by the Department of Transportation publicly.

 At lower right is the 333 Westchester Ave former Kraft Foods property. At lower center is the North Street interchange, planned to go under a new Westchester Avenue Superramp. For Southenders coming up North Street they have to cross the Expressway and take a left into White Plains to access I-287 Eastbound via the SuperRamp upper left of picture.

Any Bus Rapid Transit System could possibly include construction of new bus stations, eastbound and westbound dedicated lanes, and inserting them into the extensive Department of Transportation construction now ongoing at Exit 8 in White Plains are worth considering as the environmental impact statement – the next stage of the $16 Billion project goes forward.