Work on the new Tappan Zee Bridge has marked a milestone.

Until recently, it's been hard to see progress on the bridge without visiting the work by boat.

While piles are still being driven into the riverbed, workers for Tappan Zee Constructors, the group building the new bridge, are now working on the above-water base for the bridge support columns.

Tappan Zee Constructors and the Thruway Authority took local media on a tour of the work site Wednesday.

Riding on a small tug, the group weaved its way through sections of the old bridge and areas where the new one will stand, something private boat owners are prohibited from doing for safety reasons. There have been barges and cranes on the river for months.

The significance of the new phase is that it's the first structures of the bridge itself to rise above the water.

Even though progress is being made, it will still be a couple of years before the bridge is ready for traffic.