Upgrading a historic New York bridge without compromising its legacy
Times must change, and so must bridges. The Crane Road viaduct in Westchester County, New York was built in 1924. For ninety years this pair of interconnected bridges has conducted traffic from the Bronx River Parkway over the Bronx River and the MTA Metro-North Railroad—and nine decades is a long time.
Heavy deterioration had created significant driving hazards for the community, but Westchester County couldn’t just replace the bridge with something new. The Crane Road viaduct is part of the National Register of Historic Places, and it’s especially notable for the artistry of its pillars—clutches of stone reminiscent of a bunch of mushrooms supporting the bridge in rustic, stained grey. According to the State Historical Preservation Office, we needed to replicate the existing bridges. Upgraded. Safer. But accountable to the original design.
After surveying, mapping, and looking at alternative bridge types, we developed the approved design, contract plans, specifications, and engineer’s estimate. We designed a legacy to last another ninety years and more.
The bridge had to change, enough to make it safe, but not enough to lose its history.
At a Glance
- Offices
Andrew Lessard, Principal
After all the analyses and studies are done, don’t be afraid to recognize that—often—the simplest solution is the best and most elegant.
Robert Minicucci, Senior Associate
Teaching others by example is the best way to pass on experience and good habits.
Jeff Grob, Senior Associate
Good design is good design is good design, and landscape architects can do more and bigger things than they were originally trained for.
Christian Wiederholz, Principal
I want clients to see me as a practical engineer: finding pragmatic solutions to complex problems with the goal of getting things done.
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