1956-90s Father Baker Bridge and Buffalo Skyway in Buffalo, NY

Father Baker: (Bridge Hunter broke Mar 22, 2023; Satellite, the Union Ship Canal now serves a park instead of steel mills)

Skyway: (Satellite)

"The two plate girder spans measure 348 feet and at the time were the second longest on any structure in the United States" [BuffaloStreets]

Joe Sparacio posted two photos with the comment: "Father Baker Bridge going up.......going down."

Bill Stone: My grandfather was a pile driver and drove all the piles in 58/59 and my father pulled all the piles out in 89/90.

James Cotton: If I had a nickel for every time snow closed that bridge……

Jim Myers shared

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Brian R. Wroblewski commented on Jim's share
The worst part is that they should have fixed it instead. Gateway Metroport in Lackawanna has expanded their operations at the former Bethlehem steel ore dock site to the point of pretty much being maxed out on space. They have ownership of the Union Ship Canal wharfage, but they can't use the upper 2/3 of the waterway because the Father Baker isn't there anymore & that section became a park instead. If the bridge was still there, they'd be able to further expand right around the corner & have more room for new business at the port.

Comments on Brian's comment

Buffalo History Gazette Photo via David Flickr

Even though the high bridge over the canal has been replaced by a regular bridge, the high bridge over the Buffalo River still remains.

Street View, Jun 2022

Jim Cavanaugh posted
Stephen Owen: a lot sure has changed in this picture. no riverworks, harborcenter, wilkenson pointe, almost all of cobblestone is undeveloped. Canalside construction had just started. hopefully the next 15 years show even more progress.
Jim Cavanaugh shared
From my Archive The final image in this series from November 2004. This image from over the Outer Harbor looking North illustrates the geographic importance of Buffalo's industrial growth in the early 1900's The mouth of the Buffalo River flows into the eastern end of Lake Erie and then on to the Niagara River. Not visible is the terminus of the Erie Canal that was in the upper center of the photograph until it was covered by the I-190 Thruway. The image also showcases the Buffalo Skyway spanning the Buffalo River.
The high overcast skies of this series shows the waterways to their best advantage.

 

Jim Cavanaugh posted
From my Archive. A 2005 view, looking north, of Buffalo's Outer Harbor from the Bell Slip towards  the city and the head of the Niagara River. Also visible, the Buffalo River and Buffalo Skyway bridge crossing the river.

Carl Mottern posted
Great post 1955 photo of the waterfront and downtown. I count at least 10 Classic Freighters in this photo. Poster seen at Hayes Fish Market, in Kenmore.
JL Leszak: My guess is 1964 because the Donavan Bldg is in the center of the photo; it was built in 1962-63; and the downtown library is in the photo, and it was completed in 1964.
Richard Dahmer: This picture shows the view from the inbound Skyway as it crossed over General Mills. The Skyway lined up with Main Street and gave a spectacular night-time view looking up Main Street. It was even better at Christmas time..... until the Marine Midland/HSBC Tower was built, blocking the view. [Did the skyway move or did General Mills change their silos? It looks like the later.]

Bridges Now and Then posted
The Buffalo (NY) Skyway under construction, April 14, 1955. (Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society)
Dave Porter: Even better, a scotch derrick on rails.

Joe Breeden: A Big portion of our Country was built using 'Guy', and 'Stiff Leg'' Derricks.....

Jon Fiden posted
1955 photo. Skyway being built and a G tug in the background... Families friends father was an iron worker on the Skyway project
Mary Durlak: What's the building on the right?
Brian R. Wroblewski: Mary Durlak the Dakota elevator.
And contrary to what you might hear or read, it was NOT removed to build the skyway, as seen here...

BUT, some people want to remove the whole Buffalo Skyway even though it carries almost 40 thousand vehicles a day and has an expected remaining lifetime of 4 or 5 decades! "Many people consider the Skyway to be a barrier to development of our waterfront." [BuffaloStreets, other articles had paywalls] So build some more pedestrian crossings. In fact, in someplaces, the crossing can go under instead of over the road.

Street View, Jun 2022

And remove these houses and barriers so that the entire waterfront can be accessed from both ends.

Satellite

3 photos of constructing the skyway piers