"Through a combined effort with Norfolk Southern, government leaders and the public, we have built a modern arch bridge which will support economic growth in the region and continued our drive to strengthen and modernize transportation infrastructure across the state for generations to come."ĭesign and construction of the bridge included $2 million in grants from the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council, $13.5 million in state and federal funds allocated via the state Department of Transportation and $59.5 million from Norfolk Southern. Cuomo in a December 2016 statement announcing the opening of the new bridge. The new span "complements the beauty of Letchworth State Park while providing safer, more efficient freight rail services," said Gov. The line, of which the new arch bridge is a part, is a gateway for trade to Canada and provides a connection to New York City and New England markets. And, Norfolk Southern transports freight over the Southern Tier Line to more than 1,100 customers in 20 states. View Gallery: Trekking through Letchworth State ParkĪccording to engineers with bridge designers Modjeski and Masters Inc., while spandrel-braced arches are well-suited for railroad loading, there have been few instances where site conditions would permit such a bridge to be built, "making the new Portageville Bridge unique in modern history."Īccording to Norfolk Southern Corp., there are 10 short line railroads that service and connect local industries to the railroad company's network. The project also included adding 1,200 feet of new track on either side of the gorge to align existing tracks with the new bridge. The structure comprises a parallel alignment of a 483-foot two-hinged spandrel-braced arch flanked on each side by three 80-foot approach spans for a total length of 963 feet. We always want to keep things renovated and restored, but if you can’t renovate it you have to let it go, and I think that’s where that bridge was at.”Ĭonstruction on the new 900-foot-long, single-track bridge began in October 2015. "Nobody wanted to take financial responsibility for that," she said. “Historians always like to preserve and reuse or remodel.
Rocker said she would have preferred to see the bridge remain standing. Letchworth State Park was given top honors in the 2015 USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice award for Best State Park.
Preservation of the Portageville pedestrian bridge will contribute substantially to the quality of lives of the citizens of New York, as it will provide a natural, ecological, historic, cultural and recreational resource." Patrick Gallivan, R-Elma, Erie County, that would have had the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation take ownership of the span and convert it to a pedestrian bridge never made it out of committee.Īccording to the bill, "The Portageville bridge is a historic state and national treasure. Despite public efforts to save the bridge for use as a pedestrian walkway - estimates were that it would cost at least $2 million to rehabilitate - the ultimate decision was made to tear it down.
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