Assemblyman Joseph Angelino (R,C,I-Norwich) signed onto a letter calling on the Department of Transportation (DOT) inspector general to launch an inquiry into the construction of the nearly $4 billion Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, which replaced the Tappan Zee Bridge. An investigative report from the Times Union discovered that the bridge was bolted together with faulty bolts and questionable techniques putting the structural integrity of the span into question, a fact that the Cuomo administration covered up upon its completion.

“Troublingly, we are discovering after its construction that the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge has been built with known structural issues. This is potentially dangerous to the residents of the state and the effort to hide this fact is disturbing,” said Angelino. “The governor’s vanity project cost taxpayers nearly $4 billion and it is not even safe. I call on the DOT inspector general to launch an investigation immediately.”

An investigation in 2017 by the NYS attorney general found that the Tappan Zee Constructors (TZC), the company which built the bridge, falsely certified the safety of the project. It resulted in a $2 million penalty and the records sealed from the public. The unusually low settlement has raised questions by some, yet, still, the bridge was opened in 2018 with great fanfare by the governor.

More than 400,000 vehicles cross the bridge named after Cuomo’s father daily. Failure of the span would be catastrophic. Given the troubling findings by the Times Union, Angelino believes a more thorough investigation is needed to discover if any criminal proceedings must take place.

A copy of the letter to the DOT Inspector General is attached.