The Tappan Zee Bridge/I-287 Corridor Project team continues its slow march towards development of a plan to repair or replace the aging structure and add new transportation alternatives.

With dozens of meetings, including a hearing held in Tarrytown for residents of the Irving neighborhood between Van Wart Avenue and Paulding, south of I-287, the group outlined the final three choices for connecting commuter rail from the bridge to the Metro North. The village and members of the Irving Neighborhood Preservation Association have strenuously opposed two of the three alternatives, while the third is given little chance of success due to cost.

The three options include the trestle, which contemplates an above-ground trestle structure between the bridge and the caretaker’s cottage at Lyndhurst, where the train would descend onto the existing tracks near the caretaker’s cottage at Lyndhurst, a “Short Tunnel” option, that would include a tunnel less than ten feet under existing homes down Washington Place in the Irving neighborhood, and a Long Tunnel that would put the tunnel 100 feet below the surface, mitigating any noise or vibration, but costing $1.2 billion.

“None of these alternatives make any sense,” said Tarrytown Mayor Drew Fixell, in light of the fact that Rockland is already working on the so-called “ARC” plan to install commuter rail on its side of the river.”

Tori Weisel, who represents the neighborhood association, said it would keep up the pressure to eliminate the disruptive effects of adding a rail connection through Tarrytown. She made clear that the group doesn’t oppose the replacement of the bridge.

The transportation options represent one piece of the larger project, which may cost from $1 billion for renovation of the existing bridge to $16 billion for replacement and addition of commuter rail.

The draft Environmental Impact Statement is expected by the end of the year.