Good Wednesday morning. Here’s a a glance at today’s opinion content:
Tappan Zee Bridge: Editorial
We comment on news that President Barack Obama has fast-tracked a replacement for the aging Tappan Zee Bridge. We write:
Fast-tracking the elaborate permit process for a new Tappan Zee Bridge is just one of a bucketful of initiatives being pushed by President Barack Obama’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. It’s the brass ring, though, for the Lower Hudson Valley region.
A new Tappan Zee Bridge — part of a long-planned project to upgrade the 30-mile Interstate 287 corridor from Suffern to Port Chester — would bring tens of thousands of construction jobs. But its economic impact goes way beyond the building. It would ease commuting across the Hudson, especially if a planned high-speed bus system for the region, and commuter rail for Rockland, ever become reality.A faster, easier commute could bring workers here to support new business, and help lift the housing market by making the region a more convenient place to live. A new bridge also increases safety and security for the region; design flaws abound on the TZ, from the lack of breakdown lanes to the steep grade. The accident rate on the bridge is double the rest of the New York State Thruway system. Additionally , the bridge doesn’t come close to meeting modern seismic or security standards. …
More opinion
Here’s a look at what our colleagues are saying today:
Fix Leandra’s Law: Editorial, Daily News
No tax hike? Hold the thanks: Editorial, Albany Times Union
