THE PROJECT The original Cascade Drive Bridge over Cattaraugus Creek, located about 40 miles south of Buffalo in the remote Zoar Valley, was a deck truss constructed in 1954. This project involved bridge replacement design and construction on a New York State Design-Build Procurement. Erdman Anthony’s work on this project included: • Demolition of the existing 650-foot-long bridge • A work-zone traffic control/detour plan to maintain local and through traffic during construction of the new bridge • Coordination with utility owners requiring relocation and/or preservation of existing utilities • Wetland impact avoidance • Design of the replacement bridge
FEATURES/SOLUTIONS The new 620-foot-long bridge is a three-span continuous steel multigirder expected to last at least 75 years. The center span was set to provide adequate floodway for Cattaraugus Creek. The taller of the two piers rises from its footing foundation to 164 feet, making it the tallest pier in New York State. The team took advantage of the piers’ height by making the bearings atop each pier fixed, eliminating expansion bearings at the piers, thereby minimizing future maintenance at a location that is difficult to access. The existing bridge’s demolition required environmental permitting from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for temporary fills in the creek for a temporary bridge, temporary work platforms, and the actual bridge demolition and removal.
IMPACTS The new bridge retained a vital link for the local community without the need to use the newly constructed adjacent expressway crossings. The bridge accommodates local travel between Erie and Cattaraugus counties, facilitates residents’ access to health care providers, provides the local Amish community a traverse over Cattaraugus Creek, and lays the groundwork for new economic development.