Rendering of new Portageville Bridge. Courtesy of Norfolk Southern.
Norfolk Southern (NS), the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, along with other supporters, broke ground on a new $70 million steel arch railroad bridge in Letchworth State Park. The bridge will span the Genesee River Gorge in the area of Portageville, N.Y.
The single-track bridge, located about 75 feet south of the current iron truss bridge, will be 900 feet long, with NS constructing 1,200 feet of new track on either side of the gorge to align existing tracks with the new bridge. Construction of the bridge is expected to begin by the end of 2015.
“This successful public-private partnership underscores the strong confidence we all have in the ongoing potential of the Southern Tier,” said NS Chairman, President and CEO James A. Squires. “Norfolk Southern has a robust bridge program, and the new Portageville Bridge will be a testament to today’s expert engineers and the craftsmanship of today’s railroaders. We expect this project will start a new rail legacy for Letchworth State Park and the Southern Tier.”
The new bridge will be the linchpin of a NS rail line that connects businesses in Buffalo and the Southern Tier regions with markets east and west. Ten New York-based short line railroads that local businesses and connect to the Norfolk Southern network will benefit from the new bridge.
“This project is critical to the economy of the Southern Tier,” said New York State Senator Patrick Gallivan. “The current bridge has served the region well for 140 years, but it must be replaced with a modern span that can meet the transportation needs of the 21st century. In addition to the construction jobs this project will create, the bridge will serve and support businesses throughout the region for years to come.”
The current wrought-iron bridge was built in 1875 and, in its current condition, can no longer efficiently handle modern-day freight rail transportation. In order to cross the bridge, NS must slow freight trains to 10 mph and freight car weights must be reduced 13,000 pounds below the industry standard. The bridge will remain open during construction of the new arch bridge and then be dismantled.
Jim Carter, NS chief engineer bridge and structures, stated, “Our customers look to Norfolk Southern for a 21st century transportation option that’s safe, reliable, and efficient. The way we meet this demand is to have a dependable infrastructure. We look to this new Portageville Bridge as a critical part of the Southern Tier’s success story.”
The budget for the bridge project includes $3 million in design costs and $2.5 million in construction costs from the NYSDOT; a $2 million grant from the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council; and a $10 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). NS will contribute the balance.
During construction, the Portage entrance to Letchworth State Park will be closed to vehicular traffic but the nearby Castile entrance will accommodate additional traffic. The Mary Jemison, Finger Lakes and Gorge trails, and the Highbridge parking lot will be closed during construction.
“The replacement Portageville Bridge will continue to complement the natural beauty of Letchworth State Park, while removing a longtime transportation bottleneck,” said Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council co-chairs, University of Rochester President Joel Seligman and Wegmans Food Markets CEO Danny Wegman. “Breaking ground on this project underscores the importance of private and state partners collaborating to accommodate the freight rail transportation that is so critical to our region’s economic viability. We are pleased that the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council is supporting this major infrastructure project.”