Democratic Senator seeks to remove Cuomo name from Tappan Zee Bridge

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Cuomo TZ Bridge (file)

ROCKLAND COUNTY – State Senator James Skoufis (D-Cornwall) has reintroduced a bill that would restore the Tappan Zee name to the Governor Mario Cuomo Bridge that spans the Hudson River between Rockland and Westchester Counties.  The reintroduction is particularly significant in that this is the first time the bill has been supported by a Democrat in the senate chamber, and the move significantly increases the possibility of the proposal becoming law.  Democrats currently enjoy a majority in both the State Senate and State Assembly.

Originally introduced in 2021 by former State Senator Mike Martucci, a Republican, the bill failed to advance in the Senate, which is typical for a measure introduced by a Republican in a chamber controlled by a supermajority of Democrats.  Then Assemblyman Michael Lawler (R- Pearl River), who now serves in the US House of Representatives from New York’s 17th Congressional District, was the sponsor in the state Assembly.  Lawler’s successor, Assemblyman John McGowan (R-Pearl River) has reintroduced the measure in the lower chamber.

Lawler applauded the move saying, “I am glad to see James Skoufis and John McGowan have picked up the mantle in the state legislature to rename the Tappan Zee Bridge.”  To date, a change.org online petition has received more than 262,000 signatures in support of restoring the bridge’s former name.  The petition can be found here.

“Everyone in the Hudson Valley still calls the bridge the Tappan Zee for a reason: It’s the rightful name,” said Skoufis.  “I’m grateful to the previous sponsors for laying the bill’s groundwork and I look forward to championing this moving forward.”

Senator Skoufis told Mid-Hudson News that it is his objective to pass the bill prior to the end of the legislative session, which is slated to wrap up in the first week of June.

The original Tappan Zee bridge was built in 1955 and stood until 2017 when it was replaced.  At the time of construction, the bridge was named for an American Indian tribe, the Tappan, that was prevalent in the area.  Zee is the Dutch word for sea and was used in the bridge’s name as a tribute to the area’s Dutch heritage.




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