Overview
The existing Portageville Bridge, built in 1875, is a 820-ft long steel viaduct crossing the Genesee River in Letchworth State Park. Norfolk Southern needed a more reliable, long-term, and equally iconic solution to this aging link in their Southern Tier Route, all while minimally impacting rail traffic.
After performing an inspection and rating to confirm the near-exhausted service life of the structure, Modjeski and Masters (M&M) developed conceptual replacement designs that were showcased through a Visual Impacts Analysis. Each alternative design used an adjacent parallel alignment to maintain rail traffic throughout the construction process. M&M then performed preliminary and final design services for the selected long span steel arch bridge. Construction support services were also provided. The new bridge complements the surrounding environment and serves the demands of Class 1 Heavy Freight today and for many years.
Bridge Geometry
| Existing Typical Truss Span Length | 100 feet |
|---|---|
| New Main Arch Span Length | 483 feet |
| Total Project Length | 819 feet |
| Tracks on Structure | One railroad track |
