BUFFALO, N.Y. — Repairs to the Michigan Ave. Bridge have been in the design phase for the last two years, according to City of Buffalo engineer, Nolan Skipper.
"It's a Michigan Avenue lift bridge substructure repair project," Skipper said. "What that entails is concrete repairs, as well as timber repairs to the bridge."
The Michigan Ave Bridge was previously closed in 2020 for repairs to its cabling system, which allows the bridge to lift for large ships to navigate the Buffalo River.
"There are some substructure degradation on the concrete abutments, so it's needed for those repairs to essentially expand the lifespan of the bridge," Skipper said.
The bridge was constructed in 1962 and saw a major renovation in 1995, according to Skipper.
Ever since 2020, either the Michigan or Ohio Street bridges have been shut down for repairs.
"We've gotten some feedback, why now, why in the summer months, with businesses, we want to stress is due to the construction due to concrete, we have to do it during the summer months," Skipper said.
For businesses on Ganson Street, however, they'll be entering another summer of limited access for the public.
"You're talking about a major artery to get people here on Kelly Island," said Ben Casale, CEO of Buffalo Riverworks. "We realize there's infrastructure needs in the city, however, advanced notice would be paramount and letting us know what's going on."
Casale says he found out Monday about the repairs after Wonder Coffee staff shared the information with him.
"To only give a major tenant, only three days notice with already the traffic and Ganson it's just a very difficult pill to swallow," Casale said.
Riverworks has parking for about 1,000 cars, but the venue can hold upwards to 8,000. Pedestrian access to Ganson St. has been crucial for the success of the venue, whose owners have invested $50M in the facility since it opened, according to Casale.
"It's essential in the summer for people to be able to walk over that bridge to bike to have that egress in and out of this area and connectivity with canalside," Casale said.
The project, estimated to cost a little more than $800,000, is federally funded, and the city has to use the money as soon as it's issued to them, according to Skipper.
"Another reason we got to get it done this year ahead of October," Skipper said.
The city says they understand the concern about access to Ganson St, particularly without regular bus routes, and the Ohio St. bridge being the only point of access.
"We're working with a contractor to see if we can lower the bridge for a couple of these special events to at least allow pedestrian traffic for those bigger events," Skipper said.
No official word yet, however, if the bridge can be lowered once construction begins.
The bridge closes Thursday, May 25 and will be closed for at least three to four months.