New pedestrian bridge at Ralph Wilson Park to be installed Saturday

Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The pedestrian bridge that will go over the I-190 and connect Ralph Wilson Centennial Park to the Lower West Side neighborhood will be installed this weekend. That will mean some detours for those who use the I-190 overnight on Saturday into Sunday.

Deputy Commissioner of Parks in the City of Buffalo, Andy Rabb says the bridge that arrived back in July is just about ready to be set in place.

"It's sitting right next to that section of the Thruway right now, the old pedestrian bridge is being removed, and the new one's going to be put in place," said Rabb in an interview with WBEN. "It's kind of going to be wheeled out slowly over the railroad tracks and the Thruway, and then lifted up and placed in one as one piece over that expanse."

The park will be closed Saturday, Oct. 5 until the next morning, including the 4th Street side of the park. The overall timing of the placement of the new bridge is expected to take around 13 hours.

Rabb says the bridge that's coming down was narrow and had bends, and you couldn't see all the way across it.

"This new bridge is a much larger bridge, designed so that it was more of a welcoming place to walk through," Rabb said. "When you're walking from 4th Street over, you'll have views of the park and the lake. So it's really going to be a spectacular view to walk over that bridge and see the lake in the park, not to mention to take a look over your shoulder and take a look at downtown."

As crews continue to do the construction improvements in the park, they'll be putting in additional landscaping, as well as hills and topography gardens into the park.

In addition to the new pedestrian bridge being set into place this weekend, crews will work simultaneously to finish taking down the old pedestrian bridge that has been across the I-190 for several years.

Athena Hutchins with NITTEC says there will be detours for those normally using the I-190 between Exits 8 and 9.

"If you're driving the 190 South, you're going to get off at Exit 9, Porter Avenue, take Porter over to Niagara Street, and then down Niagara Street, and you're going to get back on the 190 there at Exit 8. Then if you're coming from the 190 North, you're going to get off at Exit 8, Niagara Street. Take Niagara Street up and take a left onto Porter, and get back on at Porter," explained Hutchins.

Hutchins says she used the detour, and learned it only took her three extra minutes to get to her destination.

The pedestrian bridge is not expected to open to pedestrian traffic for several months after it is fully put in place and secured. The new Ralph Wilson Park is expected to be opened sometime in early 2026.