Industrial History: Ralph Wilson Park Footbridge over I-190 in Buffalo, NY

(Satellite, the bridge has yet to be built.)

I'm glad to see they are making progress on making their lakefront more accessible to the residents.

Historic Erie Canal posted three images with the comment: "Hello Historic Erie Canal! Hi! We are the @ralphwilsonparkbuffalo team. Ralph Wilson Park (the former LaSalle Park in Buffalo) is undergoing a massive transformation, including getting a new, signature pedestrian bridge to connect the Lower West Side to Ralph Wilson Park. The 260 ft bridge is currently on the Aralia Shipping Vessel traveling from Italy to New York Harbor. It will make its way to Coeymans in late June, and then it will travel down the Erie Canal to the Buffalo River in early July. Follow along with us on its journey across the ocean and down the Erie Canal at RalphWilsonpark Buffalo Bridge and send us your questions!! We are excited to get out to the Erie Canal to see our bridge up close as it makes its way to Buffalo, and we hope you can join us!!"

[There are a lot of comments about buying American. My question is why is it cheaper to use the Hudson River and New York Barge Canal than the St. Lawrence Seaway?]

Marilyn Cote Miller shared

Todd Santos

Thanks for sharing this. Looks like it is expected to reach the East Coast on 6/22. https://www.marinetraffic.com/.../imo:9357212/vessel:ARALIA

John Moorhouse: Is it being delivered by boat?

Mark McGovern: John Moorhouse all the way up the Erie Canal on two barges, down the Black Rock Canal to the seawall of the park, very exciting!

Jim Mayer posted
The Ralph Wilson park bridge beginning it's journey on the Erie Canal.

Mark McGovern commented on Jim's post
The picture below shows the 4 sections loaded on the barges. The Aralia is in the background.

Brian R. Wroblewski: Bizarre. They could have brought that ship right here.

Carver Companies posted five photos with the comment:

This week at the Port of Coeymans our Stevedoring team successfully offloaded four bridge sections manufactured by Cimolai Group in Italy, that arrived on the MV Aralia.
Now loaded onto the CMT Kelly and CMT Hofmann, they will journey through the historic Erie Canal next week escorted by the CMT Otter.
These sections will form a new pedestrian bridge at the Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy in Buffalo, NY. Stay tuned for updates on this exciting project!

Mary Dulak shared

Walter Lynick: Are those basket-handle bridge pieces going to the North Portal bridge job in NJ?

Carver Companies: Walter Lynick yes they are!

A FAQ for the trip on the Erie Canal

Around July 7, 2024, it went through Lock #17 on the Erie Canal. The 40.5' [12m] high lock had the highest lift in the world when it was built in 1915.

John Kucko Digital posted via Dennis DeBruler

Juy 10, 2024: Lock #23

John Kucko Digital 2:10 video @ 1:04 via Dennis DeBruler

July 11, 2024: Lock #24

John Kucko Digital posted via Dennis DeBruler

July 12, 2024: Lock #27

John Kucko Digital posted via Dennis DeBruler

July 13, 2024: Lock #29

John Kucko Digital posted via Dennis DeBruler

July 15, 2024: Arch Bridge

John Kucko Digital posted via Dennis DeBruler

July 15, 2024:

Carver Companies posted

We had a slight change of plans today and decided to bring the barge CMT Kelly with the tug CMT Otter as far west as we could, which leaves us in Gasport, NY for the night 7/15/24. Tomorrow morning at 6 am we plan to depart Gasport, NY and head towards locks 34-35 Lockport, NY with an ETA of 7 am 7/16/24. From there our plan is to pass through Tonawanda, NY’s Canal Fest and continue on towards the Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy in Buffalo, NY!
The barge CMT Hofmann will remain at lock 32 Pittsford, NY until we deliver the barge CMT Kelly to Buffalo, NY. The tug CMT Otter will then head back to retrieve the CMT Hofmann and make their way to Buffalo, NY. Good news is, you will have two chances to see us!

July 16, 2024:

Bubba Dubs posted via Dennis DeBruler

The first barge arrived in Buffalo on July 16, 2024.

July 17, 2024: The tug is going back to Lock #33 to get the second barge.

John Kucko Digital posted via Dennis DeBruler

July 17, 2024:

John Kucko Digital posted via Dennis DeBruler

July 18, 2024:

John Kucko Digital posted
Footbridge on the Move (update): Slow going on the Erie Canal. As of 3:45pm barge two, carrying that footbridge to Buffalo where it will span the 190 at Ralph Wilson Park, has cleared Brockport, NY and proceeds west. This barge, heavier than barge one as it is carrying the middle sections of the bridge (higher sections, ballast added to clear bridges), is churning up a lot of mud as you can see in this image. The tug and barge have been traveling at just under 4 MPH today for most of their voyage. Can only imagine what it was like 199 years ago when this historic waterway opened and commerce moved back and forth along here.

Dan Fitzmorris: 4mph on a barge was a superhighway in 1825. Love the pics following the bridge.

July 19, 2024:

1 of several photos posted by Brian R. Wroblewski via Dennis DeBruler
[Brian included a video of the lift span going up.]

July 19, 2024:

John Kucko Digital posted via Dennis DeBruler

July 19, 2024:

Michelle Harrington commented on a John Kucko Digital post via Dennis DeBruler

It was a close fit for both the barge and the towboat.

Six of the photos posted by Adam Rudnick.

Neil Ferguson posted two photos.

John R Witt posted four photos with the comment: "The Ralph Wilson Conservancy Park Bridge is being welded together in the park. Photos taken today 7/25/24."

Aug 1, 2024: After delivering the four sections for the Ralph Wilson Park Footbridge in Buffalo, NY, the towboat Otter and the two barges Kelly and Hofmann head back to the Carver Companies headquarters in Coeyman on the Hudson River.

posted by Jon Ries via Dennis DeBruler

On Aug 2, the tow went through the Waterford Flight, the easternmost five locks of the Erie Canal.

NYS Thruway Authority posted three photos with the comment:

🏗 What a sight! Engineers in the Buffalo Division got an up-close look at the Ralph Wilson Park bridge today.
In just a few weeks, the 266-foot bridge will be moved across the park and installed over I-190.

Rob Young: Takes 20 people to stare at something to figure out it’s a bridge.

John Irving: Rob Young that’s state DOT BRIDGE ENGINEERS FOR YOU.

Angelo Daluisio: Rob Young ......and at the expense of taxpayers.

Oct 7, 2024: Visit Buffalo Niagara posted three photos with the comment:

Ken Szal: Kinda pretty but, looking at the design I sadly think it is going to turn into a giant iceberg when the wet slushy snow hits it. When the ice melts, the the ice will fall on vehicles.

[Because of the lake effect, Buffalo gets a lot of snow.]

John Kucko Digital posted
Then & Now: About that pedestrian footbridge that traveled the length of the entire Erie Canal from Albany to Buffalo this summer—a couple days ago the span was installed over the 190 in Buffalo (bottom image from Ralph Wilson Park). Construction work is still taking place there at the park, the bridge has not yet opened to pedestrian traffic. I enjoyed following the barges for a number of days back in July here on the page. One of the many spots I documented it was the Medina Culvert (top image), the ONLY place on the entire canal where vehicles tunnel UNDER the historic waterway. Next year marks the bicentennial of the Erie Canal.

Roy Clay: Somewhat ironic, the 190 through that part of Buffalo follows the route of the Erie Canal before that section was filled.

So the bridge that came here by canal now crosses where the canal ran.

American Society of Civil Engineers posted two photos with the comment:

A highly anticipated pedestrian bridge, which arrived with much fanfare in 4 pieces from Italy by ship, was installed last month in Buffalo, New York.
Find out how the 266-foot bridge came to life through community input: https://go.asce.org/3YQslfy.

Dave Stebbins shared

Bill Sampson: I hope it doesn’t get tagged.