Portage Bridge

Photos 

Looking north

Photo from stereoview ca. 1875

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Map 

Description 

For more than five generations, visitors to Letchworth State Park have ignored "No trespassing" signs -- and, occasionally, freight trains -- to walk onto an iron-and-steel bridge and gaze 245 feet below into the tree-studded, Genesee River gorge.

That could soon end.

The owner, claiming the 136-year-old bridge has become obsolete, wants to tear it down and build a modern, arched rail bridge 75 feet to the south.

Norfolk Southern, a major freight railroad that operates rail lines in the Southern Tier, offered to give the historic bridge to the Office of State Parks and Historic Preservation for use as an observation platform when the new bridge is completed, but the offer was turned down.

"We are not in the position to take on a big project," Parks Department spokesman Peter Brancato said, saying the cost would be prohibitive during tough fiscal times.

So, Norfolk Southern and Canadian Pacific Railway, which also hauls freight on the 819-foot-long bridge, plan to spend $1 million to dismantle it.

The railroad has rejected maintaining the old bridge or putting a pedestrian walkway on the one it hopes to build, saying that was outside its mission.

"The main idea is to move freight across the gorge, and I'm sure from a safety standpoint it just wouldn't be prudent for us," spokesman Davecq Pidgeon said.

Plans for the new bridge call for automatic gates to block public access.

Some preservationists think it would be shortsighted to get rid of the bridge, because of its popularity.

Jay DiLorenzo, president of Preservation League of New York State, said turning the bridge into a legal pedestrian overview could bring more people to the park, though the organization hasn't taken an official position.

"It would seem if visitors to the Letchworth park are using that bridge to get the best view of the gorge, it could bring significant heritage tourism," DiLorenzo said.

Facts 

Overview

Deck truss bridge over Genesee River on Norfolk Southern Railway north of Portageville

Location

Wyoming County, New York, and Livingston County, New York

Status

Open to traffic with speed and weight restrictions

Future prospects

Targeted for bypassing with new steel arch bridge and demolition beginning in 2012; Norfolk Southern has offered bridge to state park for preservation, but state agency claims lack of money to preserve it.

History

Built 1875 for the Erie Railroad; deck truss spans replaced in 1903

Builders

- Octave Chanute of Paris, France (Designer)
- Watson Manufacturing Co.

Design

Wrought iron Pratt deck truss between each trestle tower
(The original Pratt trusses were pin-connected, varied in size and didn't have two center 'X' panels)

Dimensions

Length of largest span: 120.0 ft.
Total length: 820.0 ft.

Also called

Portageville Bridge

Approximate latitude, longitude

+42.57756, -78.04899   (decimal degrees)
42°34'39" N, 78°02'56" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")

Approximate UTM coordinates

17/742182/4718127 (zone/easting/northing)

USGS topographic map

Portageville

Inventory number

BH 45773 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

Update Log 

• December 25, 2012: Updated by Luke Harden: Added Octave Chanute to builder's section.
• November 28, 2011: Updated by Alexander D. Mitchell IV: Added news report on planned replacement and demolition
• February 3, 2011: Updated by Ed Hollowell: Future Prospects Added
• December 19, 2010: New photos from Jacob P. Bernard
• October 15, 2010: New photo from Jodi Christman
• July 31, 2010: Added by Jacob P. Bernard

Sources 

• Jacob P. Bernard - jacob_bernard [at] yahoo [dot] com
• HAER NY-54
• Jodi Christman - masterofchaos [at] outlook [dot] com
• Ed Hollowell - erhollowell [at] aol [dot] com
• Alexander D. Mitchell IV
• Historicbridges.org - by Nathan Holth
• Luke Harden - lukemh9 [at] gmail [dot] com

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