x
Breaking News
More () »

Cuomo pressed on Mario Cuomo Bridge name, toll during debate

The Democratic governor faced a series of questions on the bridge during his debate against Cynthia Nixon.
New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo speaks at the Democratic gubernatorial primary debate, Wednesday Aug.29, 2018 at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. (J. Conrad Williams Jr./Newsday via AP, Pool)

HEMPSTEAD - Gov. Andrew Cuomo was pressed about his efforts to name the Tappan Zee Bridge's $4 billion replacement after his father during a debate Wednesday against primary opponent Cynthia Nixon.

Cuomo, a Democrat, was asked by moderator Marcia Kramer whether he would be open to renaming the Hudson River span the Gov. Mario Cuomo Tappan Zee Bridge, a compromise that has been floated by lawmakers and critics.

But Cuomo declined to offer his support, noting the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge — as the Lower Hudson Valley span is now known — is a different structure from the former Tappan Zee Bridge.

"When the Legislature acted, this was not even a discussion at the time," Cuomo said. "But the point was it's a new bridge, we will give it a new name."

More: Andrew Cuomo, Cynthia Nixon face off in testy debate

Cuomo led the effort last year to name the new Hudson River bridge after his late father, who served as governor from 1983 through 1994.

The state Legislature approved the name change as part of a wide-ranging bill covering an array of issues.

Since then, an online petition in support of restoring the Tappan Zee name — which honored the region's Dutch and Native American heritage — has garnered more than 108,000 signatures.

At one point, Kramer caught Cuomo calling the new structure the Tappan Zee.

"The Tappan Zee Bridge is no more," Cuomo said.

Kramer also pressed Cuomo on the toll at the bridge, which is currently $5 on the Westchester-bound span.

Cuomo repeatedly noted the toll will be frozen on the bridge through 2020, which was made possible by an infusion of state cash to the Thruway Authority, which owns the bridge.

Beyond that, Cuomo said it will depend on the state's finances.

"Well, then it's going to depend on the finances overall of the state and the finances of the transportation system," he said.

Nixon, the Sex and the City actor challenging Cuomo in the Sept. 13 primary, said she supports naming something after Mario Cuomo, calling him a "great governor."

But she questioned whether it was appropriate to put the Cuomo name on something so prominent while Andrew Cuomo is running for re-election.

"This was really pushed through in the dead of the night without any discussion in the community," Nixon said. "I think people are understandably upset with the name change."

Before You Leave, Check This Out