Mario Cuomo Bridge Could Be Renamed Tappan Zee Thanks To Democratic Lawmaker’s Push

Less than two years after former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo stepped down, could the bridge he pushed to name it after his father also disappear?

New efforts are underway to restore the Tappan Zee name to the renamed Mario M. Cuomo Bridge that connects Rockland and Westchester County. Moreover, the Democrat is leading a legislative initiative to restore the old name.

It is well known that many New Yorkers, especially those who regularly fly over the Hudson River, never fully accepted Cuomo’s superstructure moniker. They want the name changed back to what the old bridge was called for over 60 years, and their wish could be approved in the current legislative session in Albany.

Democratic State Senator James Skoufis is currently the main sponsor of a bill to change the bridge’s name back to Tappan Zee. The original structure was completed in 1955, and two words date back to the area’s pre-colonial days: Tappan, after an Indian tribe, and Zee, the Dutch word for sea.

The debate over replacing the Tappan Zee with this new span has been going on since 2017, when then-Governor Cuomo sought legislators to agree to name the bridge after his father.

The last section of the original bridge was removed in 2019, a year after the current $4 billion structure opened to traffic. Previous GOP bills to return to Tappan Zee have stalled in the legislature, but Senator Skoufis believes he can help remove any political hurdles.

“This is purely about fixing the name change bug that everyone in the Hudson Valley wants. There is nothing personal about it,” Skoufis said. “This has nothing to do with any hostility or disdain for Mario Cuomo. It just has to do with returning the bridge to its rightful name.

Two lawmakers have led efforts to remove the bridge’s association with Cuomo’s name and the state’s 52nd governor, in large part because of the alleged actions of the state’s 56th governor. NBC New York correspondent Linda Baquero reports.

If the law is passed, it will take effect immediately. The New York State Highway Traffic Authority said it was a matter for discussion between current Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Legislature.

Representative Andrew Cuomo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.