South Grand Island Bridge

The South Grand Island Bridge is a pair of twin two-lane truss arch bridges spanning the Niagara River between Tonawanda and Grand Island in New York, United States. Each bridge carries one direction of Interstate 190 (I-190) and New York State Route 324 (NY 324). Both crossings are operated by the New York State Thruway Authority as part of the Niagara Thruway. The southbound span was opened in 1935 and acquired by the State of New York in 1950. The northbound span was finished in 1963. A northbound-only toll is collected on the Tonawanda side of the bridge.

South Grand Island Bridge
South Grand Island Bridge from Grand Island (from northwest; Niagara River flows left, northeast)
Coordinates42°59′54″N 78°56′14″W
CarriesFour lanes of I-190 / NY 324
CrossesNiagara River
LocaleTonawanda, New York and Grand Island, New York
Maintained byNew York State Thruway Authority
Characteristics
DesignTwin truss through arch bridges
Total length3,400 feet (1,036 m)
Longest span182 m
History
Opened
  • 1935 (southbound span)
  • 1963 (northbound span)
Statistics
Toll$1.00 (Northbound) (Tolls by Mail) $0.95 (E-ZPass)

Description

The bridges are twin truss arch bridges with a steel through-arch in the middle. Both crossings have a 93-foot (28 m) navigation clearance,[1] which was designed to allow tall lake freighters and tanker ships to pass beneath it.

A northbound-only toll is presently collected via open-road cashless tolling. The open-road tolling began operating on March 29, 2018, replacing conventional toll booths.[2] [3] The tollbooths were dismantled, and drivers are no longer able to pay cash at the bridge. Instead, drivers will travel beneath an overhead gantry where their E-ZPass transponder will be detected and charged. Drivers without an E-ZPass will have a picture of their license plate taken, and the toll will be mailed to them.

History

The southbound bridge was completed in 1935. Mr. Frank J. Offermann Sr., the former Sheriff of Erie County, owner of the Buffalo Bisons Ball Club and prominent resident of Grand Island was active in getting the bridges sanctioned. Also in 1935 after his untimely death, Supervisor Messmer proposed changing the name of the boulevard connecting the Grand Island Bridges to Offermann Drive, however this was never done, reference Buffalo Courier Express Feb 14, 1935.[4] as a two-lane, two-way structure carrying NY 325 from Tonawanda to Grand Island.[5] It became part of NY 324 by 1937.[6] In 1950, the State of New York assumed ownership of the bridge as part of the Niagara Thruway's construction. A twin bridge erected to the northeast of the original structure was completed in 1963,[7] at which time all northbound traffic was moved onto the new crossing and the 1935 span became southbound-only.

South Grand Island Bridge from Isle View Park in Tonawanda (view upstream, from northeast)
The 1935 span that now carries southbound traffic is behind the 1963 northbound span.

While the twin bridges were built decades apart, they appear nearly identical. It is clear that builders in the 1960s took great care in matching the original 1930s architecture, but there are slight differences. The 1935 bridge has stone cutwaters on the piers, while the 1963 bridge has steel-faced cutwaters.[1] Also, renovations of the southbound bridge have created a guard rail that looks quite different from the one on the northbound bridge.

The northbound span was renovated by American Bridge Company from 2008 to 2010.[8] American Bridge Company replaced the deck (road), sidewalk, and barriers as part of a $48 million project.[9]

In August 2019, the bridges were closed to the public to be used as a filming site for A Quiet Place Part II.[10]

See also

References
  1. "South Grand Island Bridges". HistoricBridges.org. May 28, 2007. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  2. "2018 Toll Information". New York State Thruway. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  3. "Cashless Tolls is set on Thursday night". New York State Thruway. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  4. Federal Highway Administration (2012). "NBI Structure Number: 5043981". National Bridge Inventory. Federal Highway Administration.
  5. Niagara Falls and Vicinity (Map). Cartography by H.M. Gousha Company. Shell Oil Company. 1935. Archived from the original on March 27, 2009. Retrieved December 31, 2009.
  6. New York (Map). Cartography by General Drafting. Standard Oil Company. 1937.
  7. Federal Highway Administration (2012). "NBI Structure Number: 5043982". National Bridge Inventory. Federal Highway Administration.
  8. Kates, Tasha (August 7, 2007). "Grand Island Bridges: Structures are in need of repair". Tonawanda News. Archived from the original on July 11, 2009. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  9. "Thruway Authority Announces South Grand Island Bridge, Northbound, Deck Work to Commence Overnight Beginning Monday, April 5, 2010" (Press release). New York State Thruway Authority. March 30, 2010. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  10. reports, Staff. "'Quiet Place' filming to shut down Grand Island bridge Sunday morning". Lockport Union-Sun & Journal. Retrieved 2020-05-02.
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