Marking another milestone in the historic transformation of Ralph Wilson Park, the 266-foot bridge was successfully installed over the interstate I-190.
With a goal of ensuring safety and minimizing disruptions to traffic, the bridge installation took 12 hours and involved dozens of emergency services agencies and state and local partners, working in coordination to remove the old pedestrian bridge by crane and place the new 220-ton bridge super structure over the I-190 and railroad tracks using a system of gantry cranes placed at each of the bridge’s abutments.
The bridge was chosen through a community-based design competition led by the University at Buffalo Regional Institute in early 2020. The community chose sbp’s design that illustrates an appreciation for Buffalo’s rich architectural and industrial heritage, coupled with a desire to create an innovative and optimized structure. The final design is an enclosed steel arch that protects pedestrians from the noise and traffic below, while also creating a safe and welcoming crossing into the park.
“The Interstate below had perhaps the largest impact on the arch bridge’s design,” explains Michael Stein, Managing Director of sbp. “First, we needed to design a bridge that would transport users safely across the roadway in an enjoyable manner. If we did our job correctly, you won’t even realize you’ve left the park when you’re on the bridge. A bonus is that the enclosed arch also frames views toward the park and Lake Erie beyond. Our second goal was to design an efficient arch system allowing for a high degree of prefabrication. This was crucial because it allowed us to meet the requirement that we install the bridge over the Interstate in just one night.”
The Ralph Wilson Park bridge was manufactured by Cimolai in Italy and traveled across the ocean in four pieces earlier this year. After passing through the New York harbor, the four pieces were loaded onto two barges for an epic and exciting trip to Buffalo on the Erie Canal that drew thousands of onlookers along the way. The first barge arrived at Ralph Wilson Park on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, also known as 716 Day in Buffalo. Additional construction work will now take place on the bridge structure including pouring a concrete deck, adding guard and hand railings, and installing LED-lighting.
Designed by sbp and with community input to increase access to the waterfront, the bridge will create a stunning new pedestrian and bicyclist entrance to Ralph Wilson Park when it opens to the public in early 2026.
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