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New Milestone In Construction Of Tappan Zee Bridge

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A new milestone is being reached Wednesday in the construction of the Tappan Zee Bridge as the first steel pieces are being put into place.

The hulking "I Lift New York"' crane will hoist 1,100 tons, 400 feet of American steel, a sky blue girder section -- three beams -- and gingerly place it atop concrete piers just above the water on the Rockland side, WCBS Sean Adams reports.

New Milestone In Construction Of Tappan Zee Bridge

The steel girders are assembled 120 miles up a river and floated down by barge. This is the first of 134.

Construction is picking up, says bridge spokesman Brian Conybeare. Boaters should steer clear and check the bridge website for GPS tracking of 155 construction vessels.

"They can see which barges are moored in place, how many boats are moving at any given time," Conybeare said.

The first of the twin spans should be completed by December 2016.

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