For decades, when Renee Stala had to cross the Tappan Zee Bridge, she was hit with waves of nausea and an overwhelming feeling of dread.
“I would go across that bridge feeling like I would have a heart attack. … It was awful, awful, awful,” recalled the 59-year-old from Nanuet, who finally overcame her fear several years ago with the help of a therapist.
At 15,998-feet long and with narrow lanes, low railings and a sloping roadway, the Tappan Zee has been a longtime nemesis for people with a fear of bridges. For Stala, the Tappan Zee was the worst.
“There is no shoulder, so if you think you are going to get sick or have a panic attack there is no place to move over,” Stala said. “And the way the span goes, it seems like it goes forever. You can’t see the other end of it.”
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