Gov. Andrew Cuomo conducted a boat tour Wednesday on the Hudson River to survey the $3.9 billion bridge named after his father.

Four years after construction began on the new span, it is now less than three days away from cars being able to drive over the new Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge.

Thruway Authority officials say the first span of the twin-span replacement bridge will open on Friday when four lanes of Rockland County-bound traffic will shift from the old Tappan Zee Bridge to the new bridge.

The change will begin at 9 p.m. Friday and won't be completed for another eleven hours.

The governor says after years of discussions and delays, seeing the new bridge come to life is breathtaking. He says the new bridge is on time and on budget, and the entire project is expected to be completed by early 2018.

The Thruway Authority is urging motorists traveling westbound into Rockland County on Friday evening to plan on multiple lane closures and traffic stoppages as crews work to reconfigure the landings and stripe the lanes at both ends of the 3.1-mile crossing.

Cuomo is also expected back in Westchester on Thursday for a ceremony celebrating the opening of the first span of the new bridge.