N.Y. bridge built with only one pier to reduce flooding

Updated Feb 16, 2019
New Harlem Road bridge. Image courtesy of New York State Department of Transportation.New Harlem Road bridge. Image courtesy of New York State Department of Transportation.

West Seneca, New York, is attributing much of the lack of flooding recently to the new $10.3 million Harlem Road bridge over the Buffalo River that was built in 2017. According to The Buffalo News, the old bridge built in 1911 had four support piers, while the new one has only one pier, which allows ice jams and floodwaters to flow easily under the bridge without backup.

“It was actually the purpose of this bridge,” said Susan Surdej, spokeswoman for the New York State Department of Transportation, according to the news agency. “In essence, we have reduced the probability of ice jams and associated flooding, at this location. This was a big one for us, because the Buffalo River has had problems in the past,”

The Harlem Road bridge was reportedly one of 105 in New York identified as being prone to flooding, allowing it to get $8 million in federal funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.