Construction on a new Tappan Zee Bridge is expected to start three years ahead of schedule, State Transportation Commissioner Joan McDonald said.

The earlier start date is a combination of President Obama fast-tracking the federal approvals for the project and Governor Cuomo’s commitment to it, she said.

McDonald told MidHudsonNews.com work could begin in the summer to early fall of next year.

“The governor views the project not just as a transportation project, but a jobs project, and putting people to work as quickly as quickly as we can is one of his directions to me as commissioner and to my fellow commissioners in the state,” she said.

There still remains the issue of how to pay for the multi-billion dollar project and McDonald said “all financing options are on the table.” There has been discussion of seeking private sector funding to partner with the public sector to build the new bridge connecting Rockland and Westchester counties along the Thruway over the Hudson River.

(Source: MidHudsonNews.com)