South Michigan Ave. Bridge (Site) (Buffalo, New York)

USA / New York / Buffalo / Buffalo, New York
 bridge, historical layer / disappeared object
The South Michigan Avenue Bridge was a double leaf bascule draw bridge which spanned the City Ship Canal and connected Kelly's Island and downtown Buffalo with the Buffalo Outer Harbor area for over 100 years. The ornate Victorian-inspired bridge remained in operation until the end of the 1963 shipping season, when it's internal machinery began to fail and require significant repair.

Remaining in the down and locked position and declared unsafe for vehicular traffic during the winter of 1963-4, the City of Buffalo elected not to repair the bridge by the start of the 1964 navigation season and demolished the structure. Any plans to replace the structure likely fell beneath the budget ax during the financially strapped 1970's & 80's and were eventually abandoned after the outer harbor area became devoid of industry.

With the redevelopment of the Buffalo Outer Harbor area as public parkland, the replacement of the bridge has again been discussed as many feel there is no easy access to the Outer Harbor from downtown Buffalo for pedestrians or cyclists. The Buffalo Harbor Bridge Project has actively sought out and gained US DOT approval to proceed with plans to replace the South Michigan Ave. bridge with either a new bridge on this site or with a double-lift bridge at the tip of Kelly's Island. After conducting numerous studies, the Outer Harbor Bridge Project had decided not to pursue the South Michigan Avenue location for the new bridge in favor of the Kelly's Island dual-span design and location.

www.buffaloharborbridge.com/
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   42°52'12"N   78°52'36"W

Comments

  • That info is all wrong. South Michigan Ave was a single leaf through truss rolling lift bridge, the photo shows the old Michigan Ave Bridge over the Buffalo River, not the City Ship Canal.
This article was last modified 12 years ago