A third bridge will be erected this week on the Aud Block this week. The Swartz bridge will be put in place over the historic canals being created in Canalside.
The first section of the bridge is scheduled to arrive and be put has arrived and is being put in place today. Construction crews will add the other sections of the bridge as they arrive. This is the latest milestone for the $23 million canal project. Two other bridges -a Whipple Truss and a Swartz bridge- were installed earlier this summer.
The following are the dimensions for the three bridges:
- Lloyd – 55’w x 101’L
- Lake – 20’w x 82’L
- Commercial – 26’w x 92’L
The Commercial and Lloyd bridges are Swartz Bridges, while the Lake Street is a Whipple Bridge. Once the final bridge is complete, granite, piping and concrete slabs will be put in place to create 37,000 square feet of canals, which should be ready for ice skating around Thanksgiving.
“We are very pleased at the progress being made on the project, and commend Governor Cuomo for his vision to revitalize the waterfront,” said ECHDC Chairman Robert Gioia. “We are at the point in this project where the public can really start to appreciate the beauty of the design because they are seeing it take shape with the placement of the three bridges over the canals.”
The South Aud Block when complete will consist of nearly one acre of developable space, including the Explore & More Children’s Museum, a restaurant, as well as potentially consisting of mixed-use apartments and retail space. The revitalization of Buffalo’s waterfront is a key component of Governor Cuomo’s plan to transform the Western New York economy.