In a city where freeways occupy prime acreage along the waterfront, navigating your way to the Niagara River can be tough, especially for cyclists and pedestrians. Over the last couple of years, there has been an effort made to connect people with the places along the water, including bike paths and trails. A recent effort saw the installation of a pedestrian bridge that flanks the Peace Bridge. The truss bridge was installed Saturday night around 11pm. Crews that worked on the bridge that traverses the Niagara Section (I-190) of New York State Interstate included the NYS Department of Transportation and Union Concrete.
I spoke to Carley Hill from Union Concrete, to get a better sense of the scope of the project, and she was able to give me a better idea about the truss bridge and its relationship to its surroundings.
“The new truss bridge follows the same footprint as the old narrow bridge,” Carley told me. “The bridge that was dropped into place on Saturday night will have a gazebo at the end, that will afford people a beautiful vista of the Niagara River. There will also be a landscaped parcel of real estate along the water’s edge where rowing fans can view the races at the West Side Rowing Club. This project nails a lot of the immediate needs of the community, as well as the city’s needs as a tourist destination. I can say that we are very proud of this project, because we live here and want to see better projects being built in Buffalo – this city is moving forward right now, and we’re doing great things. This truss bridge not only serves as a better way to get people over the I-190, it gives them a place to stop, reflect and appreciate the water.”
Lead image by Michael Zent, Norris Clifton Aerial Photography, LLC
Rendering – NYS Department of Transportation